The Original Pranksters
by Deadly Salami
Summary: Butterbeer, Death Eaters, Slime, Pranks, and more. Lily, James, and Co's years terrorizing the population of Hogwarts. Read and Review.
1. SLIMED!

                                                  Chapter One: Slimed!

Lily pulled her jacket close around her as the crisp autumn winds snatched at her long auburn hair. She glanced at the chaos surrounding her and turned around, already having second thoughts.

            "Mom?" she whispered, uncertainly. 

            Her mom gave her one last hug and kissed her on the cheek, but started moving towards the car. "Yes, honey I'm right here. Look, we really have to go, your father is already late for an important business meeting, and Petunia needs to get to school. Good bye dear, write loads and have a great term!" Mrs. Evans was calling back over her shoulder as she ran towards the open door of the mini-van. 

            "Sure Mom, thanks a lot," Lily said, dejectedly. She was used to being by herself, but this was the first time she had ever felt truly alone. Her family was gone and here she was standing in the middle of a busy train station, about to go to a boarding school where she had no friends, and no one to look out for her. In fact, she didn't even know how to get to the train. Lily once again rummaged around in her pockets and extricated the ticket.

            "Platform 9 ¾...9 ¾…there ISN'T a Platform 9 ¾…oh no," Tears stung in Lily's eyes as she realized that she was completely lost. _As soon as my family leaves I have no idea where to go. _Suddenly, there was a veritable explosion of books and feathers, as Lily felt herself being flung onto the floor. She looked up and saw a girl about her age staring back at her.

            "Hi!" The girl spoke with a little Spanish accent as she reached down to help Lily off the ground. "I'm sorry about that, but I'm late for my new school and I was in such a rush that-" she stopped short as she picked up one of Lily's books that had fallen to the floor. "Wait a second! A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration? You're a witch too?" Lily nodded and smiled at the energetic girl in front of her.

            "I'm Lily Evans, and yes I am a witch. It's my first year at Hogwarts. So you're a first year too?" she extended her hand and the girl, instead of shaking it, high-fived Lily instead. She grinned.

            "Carolina Richardson, nice to meet you. Yeah, I'm a first year too, and there's only two more minutes until the train leaves. If we don't hurry we're gonna be late for our first day of school! Follow me!" Carolina sprinted off towards the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10, pushing her cart, laden with a large black trunk like Lily's and a midnight black owl, before her. Lily followed suit, completely perplexed, and before she knew it she was out of control, about to crash into the barrier, squeezing her eyes closed in preparation for the inevitable crash. Suddenly, there was an odd sort of feeling and she opened her eyes. She had just run through a solid barrier and ended up on another Platform. It was jam packed with loads of people, some already dressed in the flowing black robes that were school uniforms, while other were still wearing the standard seventies clothes, their bright colors blazing in contrast to the others. 

            "Come on, Lily! Over here!" Carolina had found an empty compartment and was waving to Lily from the steaming train. Lily bolted over to her new-found friend and threw herself into the moving compartment.  She lay still on the floor for a moment, her mind slowly chewing over what had just happened to her. A few weeks ago she had been sitting at her kitchen table when an _owl, of all things, dropped a letter onto her bacon. Soon she was whisked off to downtown London where she and her parents had found a whole new world hidden behind a brick wall. She bought lots of exotic books and supplies, not the least of which a __magic wand, and__ the next thing she knew, she was running through a solid barrier and now she was lying on the floor of a scarlet steam engine train. Lily slowly sat up and got her bearings. Carolina was bouncing up and down on a red velvet seat while their trunks rested in a metal compartment above the glass door leading out into the main passageway through the train. She looked up again to find Carolina grinning at her._

            "You're a Muggle-born, aren't you?" She asked, tucking her chin length, slightly frizzy black hair behind an ear.

            "Am I a what?" Lily asked, bewildered.

            "Well, if you don't know what ya are, then you must be," Carolina pronounced. "Muggles are non-magic folk…you would call them normal? If you're Muggle-born, then you're a witch or wizard born to Muggle parents."

            "Oh, I get it," said Lily. "You're a-a-a…what's the word for magical parents then?"

            "I'm a pure-blood if that's what you mean. But blood doesn't matter; it's how well you can do the spells. "Carolina sat up in her seat, pulled her wand out of her bellbottom pockets and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Suddenly, Lily found herself hovering two feet above the moving floor. She gasped, wide-eyed and terrified and struggled to get back to the comfortable plush carpet below her. Carolina giggled and gently lowered her wand. Lily floated back towards the ground, searching for the right words. She decided to grab a pillow off the nearest chair and hurl it at Carolina's head. She expertly ducked, however, and the pillow glanced off a window and fell to the floor.       

            "How do you already know magic?" Lily gaped, open mouthed at her friend, who was now polishing her wand.

            "What? Oh, well, my older sister went to Hogwarts, and she graduated last year. In her second year, she thought it would be fun to try and teach me magic, and it was fun. Until Mother found out and well, let's just say it was _not pretty."_

            Suddenly, a gaunt, slimy-haired boy with a large nose poked his head into their compartment. "Not pretty? I assume you aren't talking about yourselves, as you are the two prettiest girls on the Hogwarts train," the boy said, slinking into their compartment. "I'm Severus Snape, and you are?" He nodded his head in Lily's direction. 

            "I'm Lily Evans, and this is Carolina Matheson. Thank you for the complement, and we're pleased to meet you I'm sure, but if you would please excuse us?" Lily stood up and held the compartment door open for Severus, whose oily manner, not to mention oily HAIR was starting to get on her nerves. Carolina gave her a wink, and Severus looked distinctly ruffled. 

            "No," Snape said, greasily. "I really don't think I want to leave." There was a glint in his eyes that neither Lily, nor Carolina liked.

            "Listen, I really think that you should leave. As in right NOW, slimeball." Lily was getting a little mad, and she decided that she really did not like this Severus.

"_Slimeball??? How __dare you, you little __Mudblood! __No one talks to Severus Snape like that!" He raised his wand, but Carolina was faster. Her wand was at his temple before he finished speaking and her eyes had a malicious glint in them._

            "Listen Snape," she began, spitting his name like it was a foul word. "I believe my friend here _did_ just talk to you like that, and I also believe that if you ever call her a mudblood again, you will _not wake up the following morning. Do I make myself clear?" Snape's reply was a stony glare, but Lily could detect a small glimmer of fear. Carolina could too, and she shoved him out of the door and slammed it closed in his face._

            "You think the door broke his nose?" Lily wondered aloud. 

            "Sure hope so," Carolina growled. Lily sat down across from her friend and asked, "What was that name he called me? Mud-what? Was it Mudblood?"

            "Yeah, Lils, it was mudblood. But just ignore him, he's just a-"

            "Carolina, just tell me what it means. I can take it," Lily pleaded.

            "Okay. Mudblood is really nasty name for someone who was Muggle-born. Like dirty blood, see? But only foul people like him even care. Like I told you before, blood doesn't matter; it's how well you can do the spells." Carolina looked at Lily, checking to see how she was taking it. But Lily seemed okay, she was just thinking. Suddenly, she spoke.

            "Hey, Lina, I've got an idea!" Lily exclaimed. "Listen, just in case Snape comes in here again, let's be prepared. What other spells did your sister teach you?"

            "Well, let's see…she taught me how to disarm someone, how to make slime, and how to-"She was cut off by Lily, who jumped out of her seat.

            "You can make slime? Excellent! Do you have enough to fill a small bucket?"     

            "Well, yeah, but where are we going to find a small bucket?" Carolina was beginning to see where Lily was going and was getting very excited. 

            "Right here!" Lily cried, as she pulled something out of her trunk. "I use it to hold my shampoo and stuff while I'm in the shower, but this is going to put it to a better use! Now pour your slime into there okay?"

            "Sure," said Carolina, as she pulled out her wand again. "Filpu Emils!" A great burst of lime green slime spewed out of the tip of her wand and spattered into Lily's bucket. 

            "Yes! Oh gross! _Hey_!" Lily was speckled with slime from head to toe when Carolina pulled her wand back, thinking that the spell was finished. "You did that _on _purpose_!" Lily shrieked, smiling. _

            "Did _not_!" Carolina cried, wiping off her wand, ridding it of the goo that had coated it. 

            "_Fine!" they shouted simultaneously, laughing. _

            "Hey, look," Carolina said, motioning towards the window. The bright autumn day had turned into a chilly autumn night, blanketing the countryside in a shroud of cold darkness. 

            "It must be getting late," Lily said. Carolina gave her a look, which basically said, no shit, Sherlock. "I guess we had better change out of our clothes, then." Lily got the look again. 

            They pulled down their trunks from the racks, and pulled on their thick school cloaks, along with the shirts and skirts that went with them.

            "Great uniforms, huh?" Carolina said sarcastically, while pulling at the drab grey skirt.

            "Fantastic," Lily answered, sitting on the floor near the slime. Suddenly the compartment door began to open and a head with slick black hair poked through. Without stopping to get a good look at the person, Lily picked up the bucket, heavy with slime and slung it in the general direction of the door. By that time the door was open all of the way, and she discovered that she had just wasted a perfectly good bucket of slime on three unsuspecting targets.

            "Oh. My. God," Lily breathed. Carolina was rolling on the floor, shaking with laughter, and the slime laden creatures were still standing in the doorway-stunned. 

            Then, one of the creatures moved. It began to wipe some of the goo off of it's face, and Lily found herself staring at a tall boy, about her age, with black hair, dark eyes, green tinted skin that was normally tan, and a grin. By this time, the other two had wiped themselves clean of about half of the slime, and Lily was looking them, both about her age. One was almost as tall as the first boy with messy black hair now slicked down with the green goo. He had glasses perched on his ski-jump nose, and a grim look on his face. The third boy was the shortest of the lot, but still quite a bit taller than Lily or Carolina. He had sandy colored hair, pale skin, and a small smile was growing on his sick-looking face.  Then the first boy spoke.

            "How's that for a greeting! Hello, my name is Sirius Black, and it's a pleasure to meet you ladies," he spoke cheerfully, as if there was not anything in the world more fun that to be covered in a thick slime. Lily liked him immediately.

            "Well, hello then. I'm terribly sorry about that, but we thought you were someone else. I'm Lily Evans, by the way, and this is my friend Carolina Mateson," she pointed to Carolina who had finally gained her composure and held out her hand to Sirius.

            "That's great. These are my friends James Potter," he pointed to the boy with glasses, "and Remus Lupin. May I inquire as to who exactly you were trying to slime?" 

            "Well, I supposed that's fair," said Carolina. "We were trying for a certain Slimeball named Severus Snape, if that means anything to you."

            "Yeah, it means something to us," this time the second boy, James Potter, spoke. "He's lived next door to me my whole life and he's a load of dung. What'd he do to you?"

            "He called Lily a mudblood," said Carolina regretfully. 

            "He didn't!" exclaimed Remus. "That's terrible. I'm sorry Lily." All three boys were looking at her with varying degrees of sympathy on their faces.

            "Really, it's okay guys, I'm fine," Lily was a bit embarrassed about the whole thing, and wished people wouldn't make such a big deal over it. She glanced at Carolina, who seemed to understand. She changed the subject fast anyhow. 

            "So, what were you guys doing? Coming in here I mean," She questioned, sitting down.

            "Well, not trying to get slimed, I can tell you that much," said James, with just a hint of hostility in his voice. Lily decided she didn't like him very much. It was just a bit of slime after all. 

            "Oh," said Carolina. She had caught the hint as well. "Well that's just too bad isn't it James?" she had that look in her eyes again, and Lily decided that it was time to change the subject again. Fast. 

            "So, where are you guys from? Is this your first year at Hogwarts?" This question got everyone back on track, but James wouldn't look at Lily or Carolina, and whenever he had to talk to either one of them, he would make it short. It turned out that Sirius, Remus, James, and Carolina were all pure-blood families for a long way back. Sirius and James had met at a Muggle elementary school in London, and they both lived in manors in the city. Remus had met up with them on the train, and was from a farm in the country a good ways away from the big city. Carolina's family had moved to London from a small town in Spain when her sister was accepted at Hogwarts and had lived there ever since. Lily lived in the suburbs surrounding London, and had attended Muggle schools all of her life with her elder sister, Petunia. As the boys and Carolina were just beginning to explain all the details of Quidditch to Lily, and Remus and James were in a heated argument about who would win the Quidditch World Cup, when a lilting voice floated through the train. 

            "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please be dressed in your Hogwarts robes, and leave the train in an orderly fashion. Leave your things on the train; they will be taken to the school separately."

            As the train slowed to a jerky stop, a shudder ran down Lily's spine. Her ears were deaf to Sirius's complaints about how they were trying to give them all pneumonia, deaf to Carolina's complaints about seasickness. Her eyes were blind to the bottomless lake, the dangling ivy, and the huge castle that was to be her home. She was so wrapped up in her own worries and thoughts, her own fears and hopes that she did not snap back to reality until Carolina "accidentally" trod on her foot as they entered the majestic Great Hall.


	2. Of Sorting and Water Balloons

                                     Chapter Two: of Sorting and Water Balloons

_The Hogwarts founders four,_

_For many years and more,_

_Would chose for the House the students,_

_Whose values were most prudent._

_Slytherin chose ambition,_

_For those worthy of admission.___

_Ravenclaw chose cleverness,_

_For she prized that beyond the rest.___

_Gryffindor loved bravery,_

_And if you are chivalrous it is there you will be._

_Hufflepuff__ wanted loyalty,_

_If that is what you love, there you will be._

_Now slip me snug about your ears,_

_I've never yet been wrong._

_For I am a Hogwarts Sorting Hat,_

_I can see where you belong._

The hall exploded with applause as the hat finished its song. Lily was still in a trance-like state, staring ahead, and her pale skin had gotten a green tinge to it. Nevertheless, Carolina leaned over and elbowed her in the stomach. 

"Hey, Lils? Are you alright? I think Gryffindor sounds pretty nifty. Where d'you want to be?" Fortunately for her, Lily was saved from replying but a young witch in emerald green robes. Carolina recognized her as the witch who had met them at the doors to the castle.

            "When I call out your name, please step forward and sit on the stool. I will then place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your respective Houses," the witch cleared her throat and said "Abbot, Clarke" a roly-poly kind of boy plopped down onto the three-legged stool, and the hat immediately screamed, "HUFFLEPUFF!" Clarke tumbled off the seat and bumbled along the rows of tables toward the cheering students. 

Carolina looked over to her other side and saw Sirius grinning at her.

"Well, I'm up next! Wish me luck!" He squeezed her hand, and then pranced up to the hat. He jammed it onto his head, and it yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" Carolina smiled when she saw Sirius running up and down the length of the Gryffindor table, slapping high-fives with everyone and earning stiff glares from the rather brutal looking Slytherins. 

Suddenly, Lily had been whisked off to the Gryffindor table after the hat thought for a moment. Then, it was Remus's turn.

"Oh god," Carolina thought. "I'm next." 

"Mateson, Carolina," Carolina crept up to the rickety wooden stool, sat down on it, and immediately fell off. She blushed a deep shade of crimson, and pulled the hat down to her shoulders to hide her face from the eyes of the hall.

"Ah, another Mateson, eh? Yes, yes, let's see. Smart, Brave, Loyal, Ambition…well, your sister was rather hard to place as well…but you aren't like her are you?" The hat had a nice leathery voice, and Carolina thought back as hard as she could.

"I'm NOT a Slytherin! Put in Gryffindor, with Lily. Please?"

"Oh all right," thought the hat, exasperatedly. "If you must, you must. GRYFFINDOR!" 

Carolina heaved a sigh of relief and sauntered over to the Gryffindor table, where Sirius, Lily, and Remus were clapping like mad. 

"YES! YES! YES!" Lily ran up to her and they jumped around laughing until Sirius and Remus grabbed them and pushed them down onto the bench. 

"Please!" Sirius began in a high, falsetto voice, "Girls, you're em_barrassing us!" everyone laughed and were turning back to the sorting, when they heard the hat screech, "GRYFFINDOR!" and looked up to see a round boy with disheveled blonde hair and rosy cheeks come jogging over to them. _

"Hullo-" the boy began, but he was cut off when the hat called out "GRYFFINDOR!" again, and James Potter ran up to them.

The boy began again, "Hullo, I'm Peter. Peter Pettigrew."

Sirius grabbed the boy's hand and shook it pompously. "Hello Peter Peter Pettigrew! I am Sirius Black, prankster extraordinaire. This is Remus Lupin, my faithful sidekick," he was interrupted as Remus kicked him. "OUCH! Okay, so he's Remus Lupin my _not_-so-faithful sidekick," Remus kicked him harder. "Okay, so this is just Remus Lupin. Gawd. This over here is James Potter my best buddy ever ever ever in all of the world and universe! Oh yeah, and these babes beside me are Lily Evans and Carolina Mateson, who simply adore playing with slime!" This statement earned him two more kicks from Lily and Carolina, along with one additional kick from James. When Sirius glared at him he just put on an innocent look and said, "What? It looked like fun!" 

The boys were interrupted by the golden plates magically filling up with food and the feast beginning. Lily looked at the food with wide-eyed amazement. Sirius saw the look and said, "Good service, huh?"

As Carolina came from an old wizarding family, she wasn't terribly shocked, and began stuffing her face. Sirius followed suit, and soon there was and eating contest going on at the Gryffindor table. In the end, Sirius had eaten four steaks, six potatoes, three peppermint imps, two helpings of corn, three scoops of strawberry ice cream, and four slices of key-lime pie when he had had enough. But Carolina managed to eat one more bite of pie than Sirius did, and he finally admitted defeat. The contest had drawn a crowd, and with groans and cheers and the exchanging of bets, the new Gryffindors made their way up to their common room.

"How… do… you… eat… that…much?" Sirius managed to wheeze out as they climbed the giant marble staircase.  He was doubled-up and needed Remus and James to help him stay up-right.

"Call it a gift," Carolina said as she ran up the stairs ahead of them, tauntingly. When they finally managed to reach the portrait of a fat lady in pink, Sirius wheezed out the password.

"Cheese Whiz," he gasped. And then he fell onto the floor in a dead faint. 

"Oh my god! I've killed him!" exclaimed Carolina. "You guys just go to bed, Lily, come on. We have to find the Hospital Wing!" Carolina pulled out her wand and whispered, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Sirius's limp body was floating two feet off the ground. Lily began to push him, and then James came up and helped.

"I know the way to the Hospital Wing, so I'd better come too." Lily gave him a weird look, but they both began pushing the hovering body towards the staircase. In a few minutes Sirius was under the care of Madam Pomfrey ("What did you DO to him?"), lying safe in a hospital bed. The three eleven-year-olds were starting back up the passageways to the Gryffindor common room, when there was a splashing of water. Lily was dripping wet and the shattered remains of a red water balloon were scattered about the hallway. Carolina looked up to see a green little man in a funny purple suit sitting in the air above her. James was leaning against the stone corridor wall, cracking up. Lily was obviously distraught, so Carolina pulled out her wand, and was about to hex the poltergeist (at least, that's what she thought it was) but the little man sped off, dropping two more balloons, leaving Carolina wet and Lily wetter. James was still laughing. 

Lily was angry. Lily was incredibly angry. You could just tell by the look on her face, that she was about to kick some major ass. Lily walked up to James, pulled out her wand, and said, "Filpu Emils!" It worked! James was covered in slime for the second time today, and this time, it was bright, neon orange. Then Lily turned her heel on the stunned James and strutted off, hair flouncing behind her. Carolina rushed to catch up with her after sticking her tongue out at James.

"Lils, that was amazing! I've never seen anyone work that charm on their first try! You're awesome! Did you see James's face?" Lily stopped and looked at Carolina. 

"I did kick ass didn't I?" A smile was slowly spreading across her face. Carolina was smiling too, but not for long. A cat was standing in their path. A red-eyed tabby cat with mangy fur. 

"Uh-oh. Listen Lily, run now ask questions later, but MOVE!" Carolina had recognized the cat from some of Maria's stories about Hogwarts. They say that that cat was telepathically connected with the evil caretaker of Hogwarts, Argus Filch. Filch was ruthless and mean, and the girls were definitely dripping all over the castle after hours. Carolina began to run. Lily began to run. They sprinted up the moving staircases, slid through tapestries hanging on walls, and skidded to a stop in front of the fat lady who was snoring in her frame. 

'Cheese Whiz. CHEESE WHIZ. Hello? I SAID CHEESE WHIZ!" The fat lady awoke with a start and swung open, revealing to the girls, the Gryffindor Common Room. They dove through the Portrait hole and collapsed onto adjacent scarlet sofas, drying themselves by the fire. Only then did they look up, to find their selves surrounded by two menacing figures in black, each sporting a silver Prefect Badge. 

(A/N) Hey y'all! To you who have actually taken the time to read my story-THANK YOU! Please review, because it makes me happy and God knows, I NEED TO BE HAPPY! Sorry 'bout the spacing and stuff because the computer is screwed up and I can't work the blasted computer. Also-I forgot the disclaimer at the beginning of chapter one-PLEASE DO NOT SUE ME! I don't have that much money and it's probably not worth your time. EVERY THING THAT YOU RECOGNIZE IS J.K. ROWLING'S! I apologize to my Best Friends for using their names, I hope you like it…KEEP READING!!!


	3. Of Sweet, Sweet Revenge

Disclaimer-I don't own any characters that J.K. Rowling owns. Carolina, Taryn, and Peyton belong to themselves (once again—I'M SORRY!)…keep reading, I swear it has a plot!

Chapter Three: Sweet, Sweet Revenge

            "Hello there!" Carolina sat up from her place by the fire, grinning with a pained expression on her face. Lily also seemed to know that they were both done for. As the Prefects started talking, James headed up to bed. His work here was done. Lily and Carolina had been soaked, and now they were in some serious crap. James couldn't help but smile. Ever since this afternoon when he had been covered in slime for the first time, he had been planning revenge on the two girls who had caused his humiliation. Finally, when Sirius had had his little eating contest (which caused James to loose five sickles) he came up with a perfect plan. Sirius could pretend to faint outside the common room and the girls would feel bad. They would take Sirius to the Hospital Wing, and James would tag along. He had only planned on getting them in trouble, but Peeves had been very helpful. Then, all James had had to do was use the secret passages that his father had taught him to get to the common room before the girls, come up with a story, and hey presto! Revenge was served to him on a silver platter. 

James changed into his boxers, flopped down on his bed and fell asleep without even taking his glasses off. The next day James woke up early to go get Sirius out from the clutches of the mad nurse. As he walked out of his dorm, he was hit full in the face by a giant rhubarb pie. When he looked up he saw Lily grinning her maniac grin and Carolina tossing another pie up and down. James shook his head and sprinted back into the dorm and shut the door just in time. He heard the girls laughing as they skipped off down the hallway, leaving the mess behind. All of the noise had woken up Remus, who took one look at James and started laughing. James pulled a bit of crust out of his hair and tossed it at Remus's head, but his glasses were clouded with the pie's filling and he missed by a good few feet. 

After James got out of the shower and dressed again, he sent Remus out into the hall first to make sure that there weren't any other people hiding, ready to attack him. Fortunately there were none, and James escaped into the corridor unscathed. He walked to the Hospital Wing where he snuck a confused Sirius out of his bed and into the Great Hall.      

"So, how'd it go?" Sirius asked. James explained the whole thing, but left out the parts where he had gotten slimed and pied. But then as they were sitting down to breakfast, Lily and Carolina came in and sat across from them.

"Hey Jamsie," said Carolina, happily, "I do believe that you still have a bit of pie crust stuck in your hair. My, my. Don't you even know how to bathe properly?" She and Lily started laughing, and Sirius looked perplexed. 

"D'you know what they're talking about?" he asked James.

"Oh, is little Jamsie pretending like it never happened? Well, this morning Carolina and I went down to breakfast early because we couldn't sleep. Imagine our surprise when we found these pies left on the tables from last night. Well, we didn't know what to do with them, and then Lina thought that you might be hungry, so we went upstairs and gave James the pies, if you know what I mean," said Lily, loud enough for the whole table to hear. "Did you like our pies, James?" Sirius finally got it. 

"Dude! They pied you!" 

"Not the brightest crayon in the box, are we Sirius? Oh yeah. We know that you were in on it too, so take this as a friendly warning. You have five seconds. I suggest you run," When Carolina had announced this, Sirius scampered from the room as the girls continued to count.

"4"

"3"

"2"

"1"

Then the girls sprinted out of the hall after him, Carolina carrying a pitcher of fresh pumpkin juice, and Lily with a bowl of grits.

James grinned. Poor Sirius. Poor, poor Sirius. He heard a tortured scream, and the hall fell silent. When Sirius entered the Hall a moment later flanked by Carolina and Lily, the silence blossomed into laughter. Sirius was drenched, his robes sticky with the pungent juice. His normally black hair was now speckled with white from the grits that Lily had dumped over his head. He squelched his way over to James amidst the gales of laughter, and sat down next to him with a giant squishing noise. Lily and Carolina walked over to the Gryffindor table, and sat next to two girls who James had never seen before. He looked over at Sirius, who was turning red. Sirius slowly turned to his friend and said, "Jamsie, my boy, I do believe that this calls for some prankage. What do you say?"

"I say, those girls will never know what hit them!" They high-fived and James's hand became all sticky with half-dried pumpkin juice. "Okay, you need a shower. I'll grab our schedules and meet you in, erm…" James glanced down at one of the laminate cards in his hand, "I'll meet you in Charms." Sirius agreed and ran off, only slipping twice. 

James sighed, and walked out of the hall, calculating the way that would get him from the Hall to the common room to the Charms class room. 

"Ah ha!" he cried. Making sure that no one was looking he walked over towards a bright painting of a group of old goblins sitting around a table. Checking again, and seeing that the Great Hall was clear he just slipped through the painting that he knew was just a wall, pretending. James found himself on a short flight of stairs that were of such a steep incline that he had to get down on his hands and knees. The stairs stopped short, causing him to slam his head up against the wooden trap door. He gently cracked it open to find himself staring into the first year girl's dormitories. He seemed to be in the window seat! He saw that Lily was bouncing around on her four-poster bed, and Carolina was lounging on the floor. Trying not to breathe too loud, he strained his ears to hear what the girls were talking about.

"Did you see Sirius's face when I dumped the grits on him? That was priceless. Too bad we didn't have a camera!" James could tell that it was Lily, because her voice carried, and she was the one that had dumped the grits on Sirius. James grinned. He had to hand it to them; the girls had class. 

"Well, Sirius isn't too bad. He's pretty nice. It's James that bugs me. I don't see why he was so upset; it was just a bit of slime. They had it all cleaned up in seconds for pity's sake! You know he's going to try to get revenge for this morning, don't you?" Carolina's Spanish accent drifted past him.

"Yeah, I know he will. We just have to be prepared. Now, where did Taryn say our first class was?" The girls walked out of the room and shut the door leaving James alone in their room. "Well, thank goodness for that," he thought as he crawled out of the stuffy window-seat. "Couldn't have asked for better timing." He slunk towards the door and opened it cautiously. Well, at least no one was out there. He quietly picked his way to the first year boy's dormitories to find Sirius wasn't in the room. 

"Slug! He's probably still making his way up the Great Staircase." 

"Or he could be hiding behind a door, waiting for you," said a voice. James jumped as Sirius popped out and yelled, "SURPRISE! Gotcha!" James groaned picked up his pile of books while Sirius held open the door, saying, "After you, you old slug!"

While James was working out the best route to get from the corridor outside Gryffindor to the Charms classroom, Sirius asked, "What took you so long? I thought that you knew all of the passageways in the castle." 

"Well," said James as they sprinted down the hallway and knocked three times on a wooden door, "I do. But I encountered one that must lead somewhere else on Mondays, or else it's just on the first day of term or something." They were panting now, but they managed to jog the final stretch and skid into the classroom full of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs right as a short wrinkled teacher said, "Welcome to Charms!"

The lesson with the miniscule Professor, known as Professor Flitwick, was rather uneventful. Sirius caused a ruckus by levitating the tiny professor instead of his feather, and, somehow, Frank Longbottom managed to blow up six feathers and one textbook. James didn't have a chance to speak with Sirius until the end of the lesson, because Flitwick gave a rather long lecture about the importance of pronunciation and the flicking of the wrist, so he couldn't get a word in edgewise. At the end of the lesson, as he and Sirius were walking out of the classroom, and he finished explaining about the hidden passageway that led right into the girl's dormitory! Sirius's jaw dropped in awe.

"James you are an amazing marauder. I could never have pulled off something like that. We need to commit your genius to paper so that it may be immortalized in the Marauder Hall of Fame. My uncle's in there you know. He once pulled a job on the Minister of Magic himself! It was the talk of the town for weeks…" James let Sirius's voice fade into the background. He had heard this story many times before. The minister was hospitalized for a week, and Sirius's uncle had been in hiding ever since. By the time Sirius finished his story he and James had already made their way down to the Greenhouses for Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. A short, plump witch was waiting for them in front of Greenhouse 1.  

"Hello class," she said in a small voice. "I am Professor Metus. Today we will be feeding Venomous Tentaculas. I suggest that you wear your Dragon-hide gloves, as these plants are particularly vicious in the mornings." The class followed her into the warm Greenhouse, where they spent about an hour tossing raw meat and live mice into what can only be described as the Venomous Tentacula's mouth. James was very pleased to see that the plant Lily's group was trying to feed succeeded in biting off one of her gloves and eating it. At the end of the lesson the tired group of first years made their way up to the Great Hall for lunch. Then the Gryffindors meandered up to their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class in a dingy sort of room just off the main hallway.

The room was full of junk. There was a collection of odd gold tops, some spinning and whirring at unimaginable speed, others just lying on the table. All along one wall there was an assortment of weird shaped wands, or at least, that's what the class thought they were. James turned around in his seat to tell Remus about the passageway, but when he saw the look on Remus's face he stopped short. If Remus had looked sickly and pale on the first day of term, that was nothing compared to how he looked now. His face had turned a nasty, pasty color that looked like sour milk. His knuckles were white and shaking, and it seemed as if he were having a hard time staying upright in his seat. James wasn't the only one that had noticed. Lily had moved into the seat next to Remus's and was trying to talk to him with a terribly concerned look on her face. James was about to turn to Sirius and tell him about Remus, but there was a disturbance in the form of a wizard. 

The man came bursting through the door with incredible force, his brown hair falling in his eyes. Then, seeing that he had an audience, the young wizard straightened his robes and walked down the stairs to the front of the class. 

"Hello," he began in a warm voice. "My name is Hunter Necare, but you may call me Professor." Some of the Gryffindors were staring intently at the Professor, but others were still looking at the odd wands hanging along the wall. The Professor followed the children's gaze, and smiled. "I see that you have noticed my Dark Arts detectors." 

'Excuse me, sir? But I know Dark Arts detectors, and I have never seen anything like those," a girl that was, apparently, a Gryffindor had raised her hand.

"Yes, well, you see I am not just a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor; I am also a professional werewolf hunter. These are Muggle guns with silver bullets which are, as you should know, the only thing that can kill the terrors known as werewolves." After this announcement there was complete silence until little Peter said in a squeaky voice "Cool, sir!"

Soon the whole class was up and examining the so-called 'guns'. Well, almost the whole class. Remus remained in his seat with a pained expression on his face. After the lesson really got underway, the class began an intense study on Poltergeists. They learned how to repel them with a simple "Westicticuli!" spell. Lily learned the spell with such fierceness that James feared for Peeves's life. As the class walked off towards their double Transfiguration class with the Ravenclaw's James saw Remus lagging behind. He walked up to him and asked him if he was okay.

"No, really James, it's just a stomach ache. There's nothing to worry about. I just ate some bad eggs at breakfast," Remus was still looking pale when they got to McGonagall's class, but he cheered up when he learned that they were turning matches into steel needles. James mastered it quickly, as did Lily and her partner. Sirius had fun trying to poke everyone with his seven needles, but, at the end of the lesson, Peter's needle would catch on fire if anyone would so much as touch it. Then, right as the bell rang, McGonagall stopped them dead in their tracks. She assigned a project. On the first day of school. They were to research the history of Transfiguration and come up with a three foot essay by the end of the week. They had to choose boy-girl partners on their own, and she expected them to be mature about it. Chaos broke out.

"Oy! Carolina! Be my partner?" Sirius was yelling across the room.

"Sure. Why not?" Carolina was grinning as she shouted back. Then she turned to Lily. "You might want to grab a guy before they're all taken. Or before you get stuck with the Pot-head." James bristled at the insult and was seeing red. He turned on his heel and walked out of the room with Sirius in tow. He dragged Sirius away from the classroom and pulled him up to the Common Room. 

"Why do we have to have girl-boy partners? And why did she call me a pot head? Sirius? We are going to strike tonight," James was furious. Sirius smiled. He loved it when James got all upset because that meant that they were going to kick ass.

The boys skipped dinner and spent the whole night in their dorm trying to think of a prank worthy enough to pull on the girls. There were too many what if's and how about's to count and eventually they settled on one thing. Well, I actuality it was several things, but those few things added up to one great prank. 

By eleven o'clock they had gathered the necessary materials and were creeping down the Grand Staircase. They slipped into the special passageway that James had found and climbed the steep steps. At eleven thirty James rapped his head against the trap door again and poked his scraggily black haired head through it. James couldn't see anything, so he assumed that the girls were asleep. He and Sirius picked their way around the four four-post beds that had the scarlet hangings drawn close around them. James pointed out Carolina's bed to Sirius, and then moved into the bathroom. He found a bottle of Muggle shampoo called Herbal Essence. He saw the name Evans written on the side in sharpie. He then proceeded to dump the contents of the bottle down the sink and re-fill it with a potion that Sirius had brought from home. Content that he had done his job, James went back into the girl's room to find Sirius putting the finishing touches on his part of the job. Then they both snuck out of the room, into the hallway, and back up to their beds.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Sirius was really excited that they had pulled it off. James was happy too, but he had pulled his fair share of pranks in the past, and wasn't terribly excited about this one. He took off his glasses, fell onto his bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

(A/N) Hey Y'all! Thanks SO much to those of you who have reviewed (especially Musicizdbest who was my first reviewer! YOU ROCK MY SOX!) Ariana- I'm sorry about the spacing, my computer hates me. I'm working on the paragraph thing, so wish me luck! Sorry 'bout the eye hurting thing-hope it wasn't too serious :*( monkeybaby- I know where you live. BACK OFF! peanutguy- yeah that thing at the beginning was the Sorting Song…as to the paragraph thing-I'M TRYING! My computer is the root of all evil and it's getting revenge for when I smacked it (I get a little psychotic while playing computer games *looks guilty*) I'll try and fix it…I try to be funny…please let me know if I'm ever not funny (and I know who you are too, so please stop…)

Okay, after all of that general weirdness—KEEP READING AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	4. Of Hair Dye and Evil Slytherins

Chapter Four: Of Hair Dye and Evil Slytherins   
  


Lily awoke with a start. According to her Flinstones wristwatch it was seven o'clock. She sighed, rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. She was awoken about thirty minutes later when Taryn asked her if she could use her shampoo because she had accidentally left hers at home. Lily readily agreed, as she thought Taryn was really nice, and would be a good friend. Then-

"OH MY GOD! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Taryn had stepped out of the shower just to find that her normally blonde, wavy hair had been turned an electrifying shade of blue. Lily was stunned. Carolina jumped out of bed, but her feet sank three inches into the honey and shaving-cream mess that Sirius had made the night before. The girls were stunned. Peyton, the other girl in their year, was trying to keep a straight face. Taryn was trying not to cry. Carolina was mouthing wordlessly, and Lily was thunderstruck. 

"Nobody move," Carolina had regained her voice. "They might have booby-trapped anything. Taryn, I'm _so sorry, but I don't think that we can do anything about your hair. Just tie it up and pretend that you meant to do it. Whatever you do, don't react. Whoever it was just wants to hurt us. But why Taryn? Have you done anything to anyone?" _

"I-I don't think so. I mean, I've only met a few people, and they all seemed pretty nice, and-" Taryn's voice was shaking, and she looked rather helpless. 

"Wait. Taryn, you used my shampoo, didn't you? That prank was meant for me. I'm really sorry." Lily felt awful. Just because she didn't like James, one of her friends had gotten hurt. "Don't worry. We'll get back at them. C'mon Lina, let's go to a Library. I'm sure that they'll have loads of books full of good stuff we can use on those bastards. Taryn, d'you want to come?" Taryn shook her head, so Lily and Carolina set off for the Library without her. When they walked through the common room, they saw that James and Sirius hadn't come down yet. 

"Excellent. I hope no one tortures Taryn too much about her hair. That was really mean. Taryn's pretty awesome and boy, are they going to pay…" Lily growled as the two girls walked in the general direction of the Library.

"Yeah, Taryn's really nice, but Peyton…seems a little…preppy. She's okay I guess. The Library had better have some good books for us. I mean isn't it enough that we got soaked and the Prefects deducted ten points from Gryffindor? I really, really hate James Potter," Carolina said. 

"Well, you don't seem to mind Sirius too much," Lily chided. Carolina's cheeks had a pink tinge. 

"Yeah? Well you don't seem to mind Remus too much," she retorted. "I wonder what was wrong with him in Defense class. He seemed really ill, and he kept looking at Professor Necare like he was an escaped convict or something…" Carolina got a strange look on her face, an odd mixture of joy and extreme terror. Lily looked at her with one eyebrow raised.

"What?" Carolina asked, seeing the questioning look on Lily's face. "Hey, look! We found the Library!" Carolina seemed to sigh with relief as she and Lily walked in to the tidy room. The Library was gigantic and meticulously clean. They spread out and began searching the spotless shelves for books with interesting titles. After five minutes they met at a small round table and pile up the books that they had found. Lily had pulled down An Aide For Magical Mischief Makers and 101 Useful Bewitchments. Carolina had found Charming Charms and Ye Olde Magic Booke: Thirty Mediaeval Spells to try on Your Enemies. Lily whipped out a piece of parchment and a quill. By eight thirty they had found ten spells to use on the boys.

They scrambled to the Great Hall and crammed several pieces of toast down their throats. Then, they made their way down to the dungeons for their first ever Potions lesson.

The girls skidded into the room and slammed their books down onto a table just as their professor made his way into the room. He was sallow-skinned, and his eyes were inky-black slits. He had a large nose and thick eyebrows which gave Lily the immediate impression of a large, evil vulture. The professor stood at the front of the class, his eyes pouring over every student, as though examining their soul. His eyes lingered particularly long on Snape and a pale, malicious looking boy with slicked back blonde hair.   

"I am here to try and teach you all the subtle art of potion brewing. Some here," he looked pointedly at the Gryffindors, "may find it more difficult," and here he looked at the Slytherins, "while others may excel. Now for roll call. 

"Atkins, Pansy?" A large girl wearing what looked like pounds of black eyeliner raised her hand.

"Black, Sirius?" Sirius raised his hand. Even he could tell that this teacher wasn't one to be trifled with.

"Crabbe, George?" What looked like a large boulder responded.

"Doris, Narcissa?" A little Slytherin girl with her golden hair in tight ringlets and an unpleasant look on her face raised her pale hand.  

"Evans, Lillian?" Lily grimaced at her formal name, and raised her hand.

"Goyle, Gregory?" looked exactly like Crabbe.

"Lupin, Remus?" Remus raised his hand.

"Malfoy, Lucius?" The blonde boy raised his hand, this time with and ugly sneer set on his face.

"Mateson, Carolina?" Carolina raised her hand. 

"Miller, Taryn?" Her hair was attracting loads of strange looks and snickers, and she was hiding her face behind her collapsible cauldron.

"O'Meara, Peyton?" was sitting next to Taryn.

"O'Neill, Lara?" was another Slytherin girl.

"Pettigrew, Peter" raised a trembling hand.

"Potter, James" casually raised his hand with a smirk in Severus's direction. And finally, with "Snape, Severus?" roll call was over. Then they got down to business. Professor Centia took special care to speak quietly so that only the Slytherins, who had grabbed the seats in the front row, nearest the Head of their House, could hear. The Gryffindors had no idea what to do, as they hadn't heard the directions, so they just sat there for the whole hour, because Professor Centia refused to repeat his instructions.

"If you had been listening, you ignorant, pathetic excuses for students, then you would have heard my specific and thorough directions you irrelevant brats." At the end of his little speech all the Slytherins were snorting into their cauldrons full of a simple sleeping draft, and the Gryffindors were furious. Carolina stood up tipping her chair over in rage, and Sirius and James glared at him with pure hatred in their eyes. Centia looked at Carolina.

"Miss Mateson, isn't it?" Carolina did not move. "Pick up your chair and sit down immediately if you have nothing to say." 

"I do have something to say you-" Carolina began to speak, but Lily nudged her leg, causing her to pause. Centia took advantage of her silence.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your insolence, and it will be twenty if you do not sit down instantly." He glared at her with a look that could have burned through steel and quenched the brightest of flames. Carolina looked indifferent, but sat down all the same. When the period was finally over the Gryffindors scrambled out of the room, trying to put as much distance between them and the teacher as possible. Lily poked her best friend.

"What were you doing? Trying to pick a fight with Centia?" she asked.

"I thought you were brave. He was creepy." Taryn had joined their conversation, trying to hide behind the other girls. She kept getting weird looks from the other students in the hall. Before Carolina could reply, Sirius walked up. Pointedly ignoring the change in Taryn's hair color he spoke to Carolina.

"I think you might have set a new record. Five minutes into the second day of term and you've already gotten ten points from Gryffindor." Carolina blushed a bit.

"Oh shut up. He was just a big bully. It's not my fault-"

"I'm not blaming you, it was a compliment. You have skills." He grinned at the girls and walked over to James. Carolina looked puzzled.

"Why is it such a great thing to loose House points? Weird one, that guy is. Centia is biased scum, don't ya think?" Lily was about to give a tart reply when she found herself sprawled on the floor for the second time in three days. As she tried to get up, someone kicked her back down to the ground.

"Where do you think you're going, you pathetic little mudblood? I believe you owe me an apology for running into me like that," said the blonde boy named Lucius. Lily tried to push herself up, but Lucius's foot was still planted on her chest. Her cheeks were turning a bright red with fury and embarrassment. 

"Get off me you great-" she was about to call him something she never would have dared to say in front of her mother, but was stopped when the boy put so much weight on her that she couldn't breathe. 

"I would think twice before you ever dare to insult a Malfoy again," the boy whispered maliciously before storming off down the corridor. Lily soon saw why he had left in such a hurry.

"What is going on here?" Professor McGonagall's voice rang out, stopping all conversation instantly. "Ms. Evans, why are you on the floor? What have you been doing?" Lily rose to her feet, wincing as she tried to breathe. 

"It was her fault, Professor. She tripped over her robes," said Severus. He had apparently been watching from behind a tapestry on the wall. Lily glared at him, but held the back of Carolina's robes as she tried to get to Snape. "We all saw it, didn't we?" Snape looked to the other Slytherins in the hallway. They nodded in assent while stepping on the feet of the Hufflepuffs, keeping from speaking up on Lily's behalf.

"Well if that is all, then everyone should be getting to their classes," Carolina was mouthing obscene words in Severus's general direction, and the Hufflepuffs looked scandalized. When McGonagall noticed that no one had obeyed her orders she got flustered. "Immediately!" she barked at the loitering students. They all scurried off, intimidated by the flustered witch. Lily and Carolina started jogging down the corridor, red-faced. 

"What's our next class?" Lily asked.

"Flying Lessons!" said Carolina. "I can't wait. C'mon, to the Quidditch Pitch then."

(A/N) Hey y'all! Thanks for the reviews! I love that word—review! Isn't it a wonderful word? Review, review, review! Okeedokee, moooooving on! Fishkisser- thanks, and I'll see what I can do about the spacing. Musicizdbest-Don't worry, the ability to rock ones sox is most definitely a good thing. While not altogether essential in life, it can come in handy. Dani- thanks, I'll update as fast as my computer will let me! Iza-if you have any ideas, I'd be glad to hear 'em. Humiliation is funfunfun! WormmonABC-Glad you liked it!

Keep reading and keep reviewing!   


	5. Of Flying, House Elves, and Pranks

Disclaimer: *groans* I don't own anything. Do you hear me? ANYTHING! I do not own ANYTHING *sobs*! Peyton, Taryn, and Carolina belong to themselves. James, Lily, and Co. belong to the Greatest Author Known to Man. I might own the plot, but I'm not sure, so DON'T SUE! I'M FLAT BROKE ANYWAYS!

Chapter Five: Of Flying, House Elves, and Pranks

Sirius and James stood gaping at the doorway where Malfoy had disappeared. McGonagall had just told everyone to get to their classes, but the boys were frozen in shock. James realized that the hall was emptying first and jabbed Sirius in the gut.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" he gasped, clutching his side. 

"We have Flying Lessons in three minutes. Let's go already you great lump!" James trotted off down the hall, followed by a wheezing Sirius, who was muttering to himself.

"Sharp elbows…evil Lucius…Slytherin…greasy hair...little bastard…must die…" Had anyone overheard Sirius, it would have seemed like gibberish, but to the spontaneous mastermind, it was the key to unlocking the door to revenge. By the time he had caught up with James a completely evil plan had formed in his mind. By the time they reached the Quidditch pitch he could tell you exactly what he needed, who was going to help him, and how each prank was going to work. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he barely noticed, nor did he care that they lost five points from Gryffindor for being late. 

"Now that Potter and Black have been so kind as to grace us with their presence," said the skinny young witch with a sharp glance in their direction, "we had better get started. Step up to your broom, place your hand over the handle, and say UP!" Sirius managed to get the broom to leap into his hands on his first try. Only James, Carolina, and an Oriental looking Ravenclaw boy enjoyed that same success. Lily's broom had only moved a twig, the girl with the blue hair had gotten her broom to hover an inch above the ground, and the other girl in Carolina's year-Peyton, was it?-was too busy chatting with a stick of a Ravenclaw girl to even take interest in their lesson. As soon as everyone had gotten their brooms off the ground (manually, in some cases) Madame Hooch (for that was what the teacher's name was) let then take to the air. Well, take to the air two feet above the ground. For Sirius this was a big let down.

"Oy, this is pathetic. I've gone so high I almost hit a bloody helicopter…what kind of rubbish is this? Flying lessons…pah!" James grinned as Sirius rambled on about how hovering was nonsense, and how they were never going to make the house team if they don't get to fly properly. Carolina seemed to be an old pro at this as well, Sirius noticed as he continued to babble. His frizzy-haired friend was doing circles (quite literally) around the terrified Lily. That girl they had accidentally given a dose of blue hair seemed relaxed, but her white knuckles gave away her feelings about flight. The Oriental Ravenclaw was simply hovering, using both hands to hide a ginormus yawn. Sirius grinned at the boy, and then turned back to James.

James had followed Sirius's gaze. "That boy's a transfer student from the wizarding school in China…Hinakai Academy; I think…they're supposed to have rad Quidditch players there. Half of the Appleby Arrows players last year were from China. Or was it Japan?" Sirius gave his friend a smile as they settled back to the ground. James was the biggest Quidditch geek he knew. But they were best friends and best friends are supposed to put up with that sort of crap. Remus sat with them during lunch while Sirius explained his master prank. James choked on his sweet potato when he heard the final result, and Remus snorted into his pumpkin juice. The rest of the day proved entirely uneventful, unless you count Peter accidentally feeding the Venomous Tentacula a bit of his right index finger.

In the common room that night, while playing chess with Remus, Sirius asked James if he thought they could use a partner in crime.

"Who d'you have in mind?" James asked suspiciously. Sirius knew that he wasn't terribly fond of asking for help, and he defiantly would not care for his next suggestion.

"Well," he began. "Seeing as how they are really good at this type of stuff, and seem to have experience..." Sirius stopped when he saw the look on James's face.

"You can't be serious!" exclaimed James.

"Well, actually, I can give you loads of proof that I really am Sirius. Remember this scar?" Sirius pulled up the sleeve on his robes to show a long jagged scar running from his shoulder to his wrist. "I got it when I first discovered that you need a broom to fly. And remember-" Sirius stopped seeing the look on James's face. "Fine, I'll be shutting up right about now."

"As I was trying to say: You can't _really want to go crawling to those girls for help? I mean come on! That's like saying we can't do it by ourselves. That's like saying that they're better than us! I'm not going to ask them for help."_

"Fine. You don't have to ask them for help. I will." Sirius got up from the table and approached Lily and Carolina, who were working on their Levitation Charms homework. 

"Hey," Lily greeted him as he sat down at their table. "What's up?" Sirius quickly explained the prank, leaving out the fact that James didn't want their help. When he finished, Lily and Carolina readily agreed. 

That night, long after the common room had emptied, James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Carolina clambered out the portrait hole and carefully sneaked down three flights of stairs. They ended up in front of a large painting of a bowl of fruit. Sirius reached forward and tickled the giant pear until it turned into a doorknob so they could walk into the Hogwarts kitchens. Sirius smiled as he saw Lily's jaw drop. He had to admit, it was an amazing sight. Loads of tiny green creatures, known as House Elves, were running about, placing breakfast on large gold platters. 

"What can we do for Sirs and Misses?" inquired a squeaky voice at his feet. Sirius smiled down at the little elf.

"Well, my friends and me were feeling a tad hungry, and we thought we could come down here for some food. You wouldn't happen to have any banana cream pie by any chance, would you?" The house elf bowed so low that it long nose almost touched the neatly swept floor, and then scampered off. Sirius nodded to James, who grabbed Carolina and Lily's elbows and dragged them off to the duplicate of the Slytherin table. They had worked out this part of the plan earlier that night. Sirius and Remus would distract the House Elves, while James and the girls placed some complicated spells on the plates and food given to the Slytherins. Ten minutes and six pieces of pie later, the five left the kitchens and escaped back to their beds, to await the joys of tomorrow.

                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sirius woke up extra early the next morning, barely able to contain his excitement. Sirius thrived off humiliation. Not his own humiliation, of course, but the humiliation of others. It gave him a certain thrill to pull a job like this and see the results. After restraining himself for three minutes (a new personal record) Sirius pounced on James while chucking a pillow at Remus. James was used to this sort of torture and simply rolled over mumbling something like 'why me? Dear God, why me?' while Remus grabbed the pillow and threw it back so hard that he knocked the unsuspecting Sirius off James's bed.

"Oy, what was that for?" cried Sirius, with an innocent look that had taken him eight years to perfect. 

"Shut it, you load of old dung," Remus replied. "You jolly well know what you did so sod off." 

"I can see you're not a morning person Remie, darling," chortled James as he gave in to his hyper best friend, and got up. "Wassa matter? Up a little too late last night?" Remus glared at him as James tried in vain to make his hair lie somewhat flat.

"Call me 'Remie' again, and die, Pot-head!" Sirius shook his head, laughing. His plan had worked, well, as planned. Now both of them were awake, and they had managed to forget that they were pissed off at him. 

"I'm good!" Sirius thought to himself as he fell over while trying to get his leg into his pants. Ten minutes later Peter was still asleep, and his three dorm mates were on their way down to the Great Hall for what should prove to be an interesting breakfast. 

When they arrived, the boys discovered that the girls had already eaten and Lily was busy writing stuff on a piece of parchment, while Carolina gulped down a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Do they serve this stuff with every meal?" Carolina asked as the boys sat down beside them. "I mean pumpkin juice is great stuff, but I think I'm going to get sick of it sooner or later." The five of them made polite conversation (while trying to look innocent) for a while, discussing flying lessons, and that big project that Professor McGonagall had assigned. Remus and Lily were working together, and were already half finished, but Sirius and Carolina hadn't even started. James didn't even have a partner yet. Lily snorted when she heard that bit of news.

"I don't think Taryn has a partner yet either, if you're still looking," she suggested. From the look on James face he was just as confused as Sirius. "Taryn. You know, that girl whose hair you fellows dyed blue. She still doesn't have a partner for the project, though I doubt she would enjoy working with you. How long till her hair returns to normal?"

Sirius smiled. "It should be wearing off today. When James makes a potion, it's built to last."

"Too bad they didn't get the right person, though. You would've looked great with blue hair, Lily." Remus smiled, and ducked Lily's slap. 

"Ahem!" Carolina cleared her throat. "In case you morons haven't noticed, the Slytherin table is almost full, so if they may have your attention please…" They all grinned at one another; James even smiled at Lily, but stopped immediately when he realized his mistake, and they glanced nonchalantly at the table full of Slytherins. Their grins widened as the spells began to take effect. James had placed a timed transfiguration on the scrambled eggs, which turned into slugs, Lily had made it so that the biscuits would turn everything they touched scarlet or gold (a handy spell from Charming Charms), and Carolina had exchanged the pumpkin juice for orange slime. She had also put a handy Slipping Charm on the plates so that whoever picked them up had a sudden clumsy attack and found themselves covered in food. Chaos broke out at the Slytherin table. The most note worthy parts were that Lucius, Crabbe, and Goyle had Gryffindor colored hands, Snape had chugged half a goblet of slime, and the entire table was covered in slugs. 

There was silence for a minute while everyone was in shock. Then the hall erupted into cheers (the Slytherins weren't very popular) and laughter. The five mad pranksters were laughing along with the rest as they swiftly exited the scene of the crime. They quintet calmly made their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, flushed and pleased at how well their prank had been received by the school. Lily commented, "Did you see? Even Dumbledore was laughing! I think he almost choked on his biscuit! Professor Centia didn't seem quite so amused though. Revenge is sweet, isn't it?" Everyone nodded their assent as they sat down. Sirius was confused when Remus didn't sit with them. He raised his eyebrows.

"What? I like the view over here better," Remus explained, indicating the wall behind him. It was the far wall, furthest away from the muggle guns. Sirius shrugged. Let him keep his secrets, he thought, and moved to sit by him. Remus had turned into a good friend, and Sirius decided that he wasn't one to cross. He throws a hard pillow, though. When the rest of the class entered the room, they were still laughing. 

"Did you see Malfoy? The little prig had a slug in his hair, and didn't even notice!" This caused another round of laughter.

"Yeah, like the git needs any more slime in his hair than is there already!" Sirius joined in. As long as he had an enemy, he would make the most of it!           

(A/N) Hey once again to all you wonderful, wonderful readers out there! Sorry about the Sirius/Serious gag. I know its dead and buried, but I couldn't resist. I also want to comment on something I forgot to comment on in Chapter Two. You nay have noticed that I took special care to state that the Sorting Hat had no hesitation about placing James in Gryffindor. That's because HE IS A TRUE BLUE GRYFFINDOR! Harry only had issues with that because Voldie dear (the Heir of Slytherin) had accidentally transferred some of his powers to Harry. I hate is when people say that James was almost a Slytherin or whatever. No offense if any of y'all wrote a story like that, but I just can't stand it. Okay, now that I have made myself clear: onto those wonderful, wonderful reviews. Musicizdbest-more pranks? No problamo, dude! You like pulling pranks too? AWESOME! Feel free to share any ideas. Pranks are the best! Thanks for the review! rosezgarden- Thank you, thank you, thank you very much. I read your story Before it all began There was YOU! and I really like it so far! Keep writing! Lucky_719- It's actually convincing? *falls onto floor in a dead faint* Thank you thank you thank you! I'll update as fast as my evil computer will let me (or as fast as I can write). I read/reviewed your story (The Mind of Lily). Look 4 it! 

Thank you, Thank you one and all. Thank you greatest reviewers of all! (Wow. I don't know where that came from!)

Keep Reading, and Keep Reviewing!


	6. Of Halloween

Disclaimer: You know the deal. I'm not J.K. Rowling, nor do I have her talent (damn). Don't sue.

Chapter Six: Of Halloween

All Hallows Eve dawned crisp and clear, a beautiful day. But no one was out on the grounds to enjoy it. 

"Blast this stupid Potions homework!" cried Sirius, banging his fist on the table. "It's a holiday, but God forbid that we should have a break from work. God forbid that we should have fun! God forbid that-" 

"We should have peace and quiet for a while!" interjected Lily, exasperated. "If you had just done your homework on time in the first place, then Professor Centia wouldn't have given you extra homework. And if you had done that extra homework on time he wouldn't have given you _more_ extra homework. And if you had turned _that _extra homework in on time, you wouldn't have gotten detention, so you could have done _this homework on time. So shut up." Sirius glared at her._

"The girl has a point, Sirius old pal. Shut it so that others may enjoy the holiday." Lily smiled appreciatively at Remus. Ever since their Transfiguration project together, they had become very good friends. Sirius glowered. 

"FINE! I can tell when I'm not wanted! I can tell that no one wants me here! I'll just be leaving then!" He left the Common Room to tumultuous cheers from the other Gryffindors, happy that Sirius was leaving so they could have some quiet. Sirius poked his head back around the corner.

"And you don't have to sound so gosh-darned _happy_ about it!" Everyone laughed as Sirius stormed off, and then resumed their conversations. Suddenly Carolina burst into the room, tripped over a chair, and fell on top of the table where Remus was trying to teach Lily the finer points of wizard's chess.

"That's our Carolina. Always graceful as a pixie." Lily said, sarcastically, as she hauled her best friend to her feet.

"More like 'as graceful as a hippopotamus in ballet slippers'" laughed James, while helping Remus set the table back up. Lily grimaced. Although the duo had been partners in crime, and they were polite to each other in public situations, Lily had never forgiven him for dying Taryn's hair. Also, it seemed as though his teasing, while apparently innocent, was meant to be just a barbed as it sounded. If Carolina heard any insult, she ignored it.

"Yes, that about sums up my gracefulness," she said, nursing a scraped elbow and examining a new bruise.

"Why were you running in here anyways?" inquired Remus.

"Oh, yes, that. Look at this!" she whispered, trying not to draw any more attention to herself. Carolina whipped a copy of the Daily Prophet out of her pocket and began to read.

"Wizards all over England, who have been hearing rumors of a rising Dark wizard, have just had their worst fears confirmed by the Minister of Magic himself. In a recent press conference he released the news that a terribly powerful wizard is gaining power and allies. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or Voldemort, has created a panic of the likes that has not been seen since Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, defeated the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1948. (A/N sorry if I got the spelling or the date wrong, I don't know them and I can't find the book) 

Voldemort and his followers, called Death Eaters, are rampaging across the country on mad killing sprees. There seems to be no pattern, but the main targets of his murders so far (Twenty-nine muggles and thirteen wizards to date) have been random muggles and aurors. He leaves a grotesque symbol above all the houses which he has attacked, a glowing skull with a snake protruding from its mouth, which people are calling the Dark Mark. The ministry and those of us working here at the Daily Prophet would like to extend our heartfelt apologies to those who have lost someone in these attacks." When Carolina stopped speaking, no one moved. The article had attracted more listeners than just Remus, Lily, and James. Several third and fourth years were listening, and two prefects were paying rapt attention. Lily sat down heavily in a chair, Remus turned the color of week old milk, and one fifth year girl fainted. 

"Remain calm," said the Prefect that had taken the points from Carolina and Lily on their first day. "I'm sure there is nothing to be worried about." When she saw that her words did absolutely nothing to cheer anyone up, she sighed. "C'mon you lot. It'll be fine. It's time for dinner anyways, so let's go. Halloween Feast tonight! That'll cheer you up!"

Everyone got up and followed her out of the room except Remus. When James noticed that he wasn't coming, he went back.

"No, go on," said Remus. "I have to go home tonight. Me mum's sick. I have to visit her again, so I'm leaving now. Remember when I had to go last month?" James nodded and went to the feast. 

"I wonder what Remus's mother is sick with. D'you think it serious?" he asked Sirius as dinner when he explained why their pal wasn't there. 

"It must be or he would go to visit her this often, would he? I mean once a month. That must be pretty serious." Interjected Carolina as she and Lily slid into the seats across from the boys. "And Sirius," she said, without looking up, "if you say one thing about how you're Sirius, I will not stop at killing you. Is that understood?" Sirius nodded fervently. "Good boy!" Carolina said and patted his head.

"I'm not a dog!" he protested..

"Yes you are!" cried Lily. He looked at her inquisitively. "Sirius, you are a dog." When she saw that he still didn't understand, she sighed. "Sirius. Is. The. Name. Of. The. Dog. Star." Lily said very slowly. "Therefore, you are a dog."

Sirius growled and bit a huge hunk off of his leg of turkey. "I don't care what you say. I'm notta dog!" he said, spraying Peter with food. "Oops, sary Pata!" He apologized, getting turkey bits all over James. James looked at Peter, who nodded. They simultaneously picked up globs of mashed potatoes and flung them at Sirius. Sirius screamed in anguish as James's mashed potatoes got into his eyes, and Peter's landed on his shirt. 

"You guys are dead!" he shrieked grabbing two handfuls of pumpkin pie and lobbing them at where he thought Peter and James were. In actuality, he hit Carolina and a Ravenclaw at the next table. Carolina dumped her goblet of pumpkin juice on Sirius's head while plucking the pumpkin stuffing out of her hair, and the Ravenclaw screamed and started throwing food everywhere. Chaos reigned supreme for ten minutes until Professor McGonagall exploded three orange firecrackers off the end of her wand and Professor Flitwick cast a giant Freezing Charm over every student in the hall.

Professor Dumbledore stood up. "May I please speak to Misters Black, Potter, and Pettigrew in my office? Immediately, if you don't mind. And Miss Evans and Miss Richardson are invited to join our little party." He swept out of the hall with Professor McGonagall in his wake. The five busted ones groaned and left the hall to cheers and catcalls. They spent the long walk following the Headmaster to his office trying to clean themselves off. They failed miserably. When they reached the giant spiraling staircase behind the gargoyle (Fizzing Whizbies!), they all still had food spattered down their fronts, and Peter had a carrot stuck in her ear! When they entered the office, the guilty party stood on the side nearest the door, while Dumbledore sat at his desk, with Professor McGonagall pacing behind him.

"What exactly possessed you to do such a thing?" McGonagall began. Dumbledore held up his hand. 

"I can handle this from here, Minerva," he said quietly, never taking his eyes off the first years. Professor McGonagall nodded and left. "So, I see that your ability to cause trouble has not depleted since your little extravaganza at the beginning of the year," he said. Only Peter's mouth remained closed, as he had not been involved in that particular prank. Dumbledore smiled. "Yes, I knew that it was you. I just did not see fit to punish you at the time, as you clearly had other things on your mind, or you would have tried to hide the telltale smiles on your face. Now this, on the other hand, was going a little far. Though I myself enjoy a food fight as well as the next hapless person, the majority of our faculty sees them as a disregard for rules and respect, so I must punish you as I see fit. You will all spend the remainder of the night cleaning the Great Hall without magic. Then, tomorrow evening, Mister Black, Mister Pettigrew, and Miss Richardson will be polishing trophies in the Trophy Room, while Mister Potter and Miss Evans will be scrubbing the Quidditch Stadium stands, as we have a match on Saturday. Understood?" They all nodded and headed back to the Great Hall.

"Damn!" James whispered to Sirius. "Tomorrow's going to be no fun at all! First of all I'm going to freeze my arse off while trying to clean the stands, and second of all, I'm with Evans!" Sirius grinned evilly.

"She's not that bad. Just bundle up and you'll be fine…" he stopped at the sight of the Great Hall. 

"OH SHIT!" They all chorused. Food was stuck to the ceiling, the walls, and all over the table. Sitting on the floor at their feet were five buckets filled with warm, soapy water, five scrub brushes, and five pairs of big, yellow, rubber gloves. Everyone groaned and pulled on the gloves, picked up the buckets, and got to work. Everything went well until Lily tried to pull a candied apple off the Hufflepuff table. She put all of her weight against it, and when it came loose, she flew backwards, and crashed into poor Peter and her bucket of water. They were bruised and soaked thoroughly, though everyone else got a laugh out of it. Another problem arose when a great blob of chocolate pudding fell off the ceiling and onto Sirius's head. He wouldn't believe that no one had thrown it at him, until another blob of pudding fell on James. This brought up yet another problem.

"How the hell are we supposed to get food off of the ceiling?" wondered Carolina. They resolved that particular issue by standing on chairs that they had put on tables and then throwing the water at the stains, until they had gotten every spot they could see off. They then stood back and admired their work.

"Not bad, not bad," panted James. He glanced at his watch. "And it only took us three hours!" 

"What do you say we leave some creamed corn on Dumbledore's chair?" conspired Peter. 

"Nah, he's the Headmaster. How about on Centia's chair? Serves him right for giving me all that extra homework," suggested Sirius. They all nodded, and Sirius scooped up one of the remaining pools of mush and carefully situated it on his least favourite professor's chair. They then walked back up to the House, gasping for breath. 

"Boy are we going to feel sore tomorrow," wheezed Carolina as she flopped into bed. "Too bad Remus missed it. The food fight was loads of fun. Can't wait till tomorrow, though. Polishing stupid trophies. Joy." The girls smiled and fell into a deep sleep.

(A/N) Yes, I know that was weird, I just felt like it. The story was moving really slowly, so I just sped it along a bit. Now, review section! Reviews, Reviews, Reviews! Musicizdbest- Yes I LUV pulling pranks. I make enemies easily. Please give me ideas, my muse has completely deserted me. :^)~  don'tyouwannaknow- I know who you are, so piss off. I know you were pissed off at me when you wrote that, and as soon as I can figure out how, I am going to delete it. BACK OFF, BARBIE! Lynn- Excellent writer? *gasps and goes into shock* THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My editors think that I am uploading to quickly, and I think that they are full of it. Do y'all think that I should slow down?

KEEP READING AND KEEP REVIEWING!!!! Reviews make me happy. Being happy makes me want to write. Writing makes me upload. Uploading lets y'all read my story. Reading makes y'all review, and REVIEWS MAKE ME HAPPY. I'm sensing a pattern here…


	7. Of Pillow Fights and Werewolves

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except, if I'm lucky, I might own the plot…

Chapter Seven: Of Pillow Fights and Werewolves

The next morning our group of young heroes (A/N-JK!) woke up late due to their intense punishment the previous night. Carolina yawned as she tripped into the bathroom to take a hasty shower. When she got out, Lily was already dressed, and Taryn and Peyton had left. She mumbled something about bloody morning people, and attacked her wet hair with a brush. Ten minutes later she stumbled out of the room with her shoes on the wrong feet and lopsided piggy tales. Remus snorted when she walked into the Common Room.

"Late night?" he asked.

"Shaddup," Lily and Carolina grumbled. Apparently the other girl had come down after Carolina. Remus smiled. "How's your mum?" Lily asked, genuinely concerned.

"What? Oh, yeah, that. I just got in. She's all right," said Remus, getting off the sofa and walking to the portrait hole with the girls. "It's not terribly serious, but she likes me to come and visit every month." Carolina patted his arm sympathetically as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. Soon after Peter had come down to join them the owl post arrived, raining letters down on the unsuspecting students. Carolina grinned as she saw her owl, Midnight, fluttering down, with a tawny owl right behind it. Hastily scanning the letter from her parents, she looked to see who the other owl was for. 

Remus was holding a ripped up envelope in one hand, and a thick, important looking letter in the other. His face was normal, but his lips were tight and his eyes were glistening. Without warning he stood up and bolted from the room, leaving his friends speechless. 

"What's the matter with him?" Sirius asked, piling his plate with bacon. 

"Yeah, he looked like Voldemort himself was chasing him," James commented as he sat down. Sirius grabbed the envelope he had dropped on the floor and looked it over carefully.

"It's from the Ministry," said Sirius with certainty. "My mum's a secretary to Barty Crouch there, and they always use this kind of parchment and such," he explained. 

"Well, if it's from the Ministry, that can't be good. Let's go find 'im then," said Lily, and they all left the Great Hall.

"Where d'you reckon he went?" pondered Peter. 

"Let's check in the dorm first, and then we can split up," suggested James. They all nodded and sprinted up the marble staircase to the Gryffindor common room. All five of them burst into the first year boy's dorm, panting, to find Remus lying on his bed, head in a pillow. They moved over to him, not knowing what to do next.

"Remus?" Lily said tentatively. The boy didn't move. "Are you all right?" No answer. "Is there anything we can do?" No answer. James noticed a piece of parchment lying on his bedside table and quietly picked it up. He read it, face ashen. 

"Remus, I'm so sorry," he said, patting him on the back. Remus raised his head, to look at him questioningly. "Well if you don't want us to find out, then I suggest not leaving the letter in a place where just anyone could get it," James explained. Remus blushed. "Can I tell them what it says?" James asked. Remus nodded and buried his head back in the pillow, shaking with silent sobs. James picked up the parchment and began to read.

"Dear Mr. Remus Lupin,

            We regret to inform you that last night your parents, Mr. and Mrs. Romulus Lupin, were killed while trying to save the town of Devonshire from the Dark Lord, Voldemort. They successfully saved the town, but were killed by Death Eaters in the attempt. We are terribly sorry for this loss, 

Sincerely,

            Ronald Grempkin (A/N-sorry bout that, but I needed a name and it was the first thing that came to mind!), Minister of Magic" Lily gasped, Carolina sat down, hard, on the nearest bed, and Sirius looked pained. Remus sat up.

"Sorry about running from breakfast like that. I must have given you a terrible start," he whispered hoarsely. Tears were still running freely down his cheeks, and he tried to wipe them away. Sirius was examining the letter, and looked up.

"But it says here that last night they were trying to save a town of muggles-" Sirius was interrupted by Remus.

"They're aurors. It's their job to stop Death Eaters and such," he said quietly.

"No, that's not my point," Sirius said. "What I was going to say was, if they were out all night fighting a mad band of Death Eaters, where were you? I mean, you said you were going to visit them, right?" He looked perplexedly at Remus.

"Well, see, I-um, well, I did try to-um, well," Remus stuttered. Sirius cut him off.

"Hey, you don't have to tell us if ya don't wanna. Just know we're here if you need someone to talk to, k?" Remus nodded, and his friends walked out of the door. Lily was waving to him when she stopped suddenly, a strange look crossing her face.

"Remus, your mother wasn't sick the first time either, was she?" she asked, walking back into the room. As he shook his head, James, Peter, Sirius, and Carolina looked back to see where Lily had gone. "And I'm guessing the days you went to visit just happened to coincide with the full moon?" He glanced around and nodded slightly, head bowed. 

"And I'm guessing that it's not another random coincidence that you never sit next to the guns or whatever in Dark Arts class," said Carolina slowly. Remus shook his head again, and James finally caught on.

"You mean to say, that the reason you told us you were visiting your sick mother was because it was the full moon, and you're a-you're a _werewolf_?!" James looked around before saying that last word, and even then he said it quietly. Peter gasped and his eyes became the size of dinner plates. Remus nodded slowly, and then started crying again. Sirius whistled slowly, and said, "Holy Guacamole!" Remus gave a weak smile.

"If you're wondering why I didn't tell you, it's, well, I've never told anyone before. My parents and the man that bit me are the only people that know. Well, Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey (A/N did I spell that right?), and the Head of our House know as well, but that's because they wouldn't let me into the school any other way. It's terrible, trying to keep a secret from the world. Every step of the way, you have to look over your shoulder. If anyone even mentions werewolves I get jumpy. Sometimes, it feels like the whole world is set against you. Our Defense professor is as good as a murderer to me. He kills my species, ruthlessly hunts us down, and many people agree with the ways of people like that. They just see us as werewolves, not even bothering to hear our side of the story. Do they think that it's fun to transform into a hideous monster? Do they think it's fun to sprout fangs and grow fur? Do people think that it's fun to have an unquenchable thirst for human blood? Do people think-" He stopped and dissolved into tears, cradling his head in his hands. Lily sat down beside him, tucking hair behind her ears.

"It's okay, Remus, we wont desert you just because you were unlucky as a little kid! We'll always be here for you. _Always_," Lily said, hugging him tightly around the shoulders. Remus looked up and gave her a watery smile. He glanced around at the others, who nodded their support, and his smile grew bigger.

"Thanks you guys. But, no 'fense or anything, but, could I be alone? I just need time to think about all this, okay?" His friends nodded, and left him alone. They moved into the girls' dormitory, first making sure that Taryn and Peyton were occupied elsewhere.

"Wow. Remie is a werewolf. I can't believe it. I just can't believe it." Lily flopped down on her bed, stunned. Carolina joined her there while the guys sprawled on the floor, not terribly comfortable at being in a girls' dormitory. Carolina grinned at their attitude.

"You big babies. It's exactly like your dormitory," Carolina said dryly.

"Except it's a lot more clean," Lily pointed out.

"Well there's no need to state the obvious, now is there?" asked James, laughing. "With Sirius living there I would be worried if it were anything but a total disaster area." Sirius grabbed a pillow of Taryn's bed and threw it at James, mumbling about no good best friends. James laughed, and an all out pillow fight started as a result. Carolina smiled. _Good_, she thought. _We need to take our minds off Remus's little predicament. She was rewarded for her inattention when Peter's pillow smacked her solidly in the nose. Carolina let loose a war cry and started flinging pillows right and left. The boys left a half hour later when Peyton came in. As soon as the door opened the three boys bolted out of the room, leaving behind loads of ruined pillows and a feather covered floor._

"What the heck was that?" asked Peyton. "Did three boys just run out of our room?" Lily and Carolina nodded with flushed cheeks. Peyton turned to look at them, and found two panting girls with feather covered hair. "What 'ave you been doing? Why weren't you in Charms?" Lily and Carolina looked at each other. 

"We forgot all about classes," groaned Lily, slapping her forehead. "What did we miss?" 

"A Freezing Charm," said Peyton, who was gathering her things for Herbology. "Better go see him after dinner. Come to the greenhouses with me." The guilty girls nodded, and walked out of the room. As they left the Common Room, Peyton asked a question that the girls had been avoiding on purpose.

"How on earth could both of you forget about class?" Lily and Carolina looked at each other guiltily.

"Well," began Lily.

"You see," interrupted Carolina. "I ate some terrible eggs at breakfast, and I felt awfully sick. Then we couldn't find the Hospital Wing so we came back to our dorm. I was puking something awful, and Lily felt bad for me so she waited. Lily and I didn't get very much sleep last night cause we had to clean out the Great Hall till midnight, you remember. We were the cause of the food fight?" Peyton smiled.

"Yes of course. That was loads of fun. I got creamed corn in my ear, and Bertha got pudding down her shirt." Seeing her year mates puzzled looks, Peyton explained. "Bertha Jorkins, you know. She's a Ravenclaw that I gossip with. Quite funny, and knows loads of juicy stories. Anyways, you were saying?" Carolina sighed; she had hoped Peyton would have gotten off track.

"So Lily fell asleep while waiting for me, and I lay down because my stomach was hurting something awful. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I know, Sirius and Peter and James had burst into the room and started throwing pillows at us. Well, we got mad and threw pillows back, and then you walked in and they scampered." Peyton nodded, satisfied with their answer. Lily smiled at her best friend appreciatively. _She sure is a quick thinker_! thought Lily, as they reached the greenhouses just in time for class. Carolina quickly moved off to find the boys.

She found them on the other side of the greenhouse and quietly explained the story she had fed Peyton, just so they could have matching alibis if anyone were to check. The boys smiled, and the rest of the day passed without further mishap or inquiry.

After dinner (which Remus did not attend) Carolina, Sirius, and Peter moved off to the Trophy Room, after bidding a cheerful farewell to the doom laden Lily and James. 

"What're the odds that they survive the night?" smiled Sirius.

"I'm thinkin' twenty to one at the least," replied Carolina as they entered the Trophy Room.

"Wipe them happy smiles off yer faces," growled and unhappy voice. The trio looked around to find the evil caretaker, Argus Filch standing in front of them with three giant buckets of elbow grease at his feet. "Ye'll be polishin these trophies till each and everyone is sparkling, is that clear?" They all nodded. "Now I'm leavin (A/N Ms or Mrs?) Norris t' watch ye, so don't be tryin anything jus cause I'm not here. I got better things to do than to watch a sorry lot like you scrub a bunch o' metal." 

"Like we don't," muttered Sirius. He stuck out his tongue at the man's retreating back. "Well, we'd better get started then." Resigned to their task, the three picked up buckets and started scrubbing. They worked in silence for twenty minutes until Peter found something interesting.

"Hey, look, it's the Quidditch Cup!" he cried. Lily and Sirius hurried over to examine the silver trophy.

"Wow," breathed Carolina, as she looked at the long list of Houses and years. "Are you two going out for the team next year?" Sirius nodded fervently, while Peter just said no. When asked for an explanation, he stated that he functioned better with two feet on the ground. "What're you going out for then?" Carolina asked Sirius as she started back to work on her special award for service to the school. 

"Beater," he said proudly. "I can knock my dad off his broom when we play two on two with James and his dad! D'you play at all?"

"Do I play? Do I _play? I only eat, breathe, and live Quidditch. I'm an impassable keeper, but I can be a fair seeker as well." Carolina exclaimed._

"Ah, well, we'll see about that impassable keeper thing. And I wouldn't spend too much time on your seeker skills. James is amazing," Sirius warned. Carolina shrugged.

"I'm more of a keeper. I like being where the action is," she replied, moving on to another trophy. When they got back to their dorms later that night, Lily and James still weren't back.

_They'd better hurry_, thought Carolina as she crawled into bed. _I wouldn't fancy being out there much later than this. They'll freeze to death. _And with that, she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

(A/N) Hey to all one of you who reviewed (I LUV YOU DANI!) Dani- Yes, I too believe that you can never upload too quickly, because I hate it when stories I love have the same three chapters for a year or so. Yeah, I remembered the werewolf thing, see? I figured that they should find out in their first year because 'it took them the best of five years to get it' and I like the idea of their become animagi in the fifth year. I read a story with that happening once, and it kind of stuck with me. Remus is oober-cool! I hope I didn't overdo the werewolf part in this chapter-did I? Yeah, yeah, since it's a Lily/James story I should probably have a bit more with them in it right? Somehow that makes sense….hhhhmmm. I'll work on it. Thanx so much for reviewing! 

Keep reading and Keep reviewing! 


	8. Of Christmas Vacation

 Disclaimer: I do not own Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Malfoy, Snape, any of the Professors except the ones I made up, Hogwarts, England, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, flutes, the color purple, lava lamps, the Hogwarts Express, Kings Cross Station, Peyton, Taryn, or Carolina. Or owls. Or Christmas. I think that's it though…

Chapter Eight: Of Christmas Vacation

"I've been thinking," said James.

"No way!" gasped Carolina.

"You, Potter?" scorned Lily.

"Did it hurt?" asked Sirius.

"Shut it, you lot!" said James, whacking them each on the head with his beginning transfiguration book. It was the day before everyone went home for Christmas vacation, and the four friends were getting and early start on their holiday homework, or at least trying to. "As I was _trying_ to say, I've had an idea. NO COMMENTS! Well, we all know that Remie is a-"he glanced around the library, making sure that no one was within earshot, "werewolf. Well, I think I've got a way to help him." Everyone was suddenly interested. 

"Explain," demanded Lily, leaning forward. 

"Well, werewolves are only a danger to humans, right?" They all nodded slowly. 

"We are humans, Potter. Well, Carolina and I are. I'm not too sure about you or Sirius, though." Lily pointed out dryly. James glared at her, and Sirius snorted.

"Shut up, Evans. What I meant was, what it we could become animagus? Remus wouldn't be able to hurt us, and at least one of us should be big enough to keep a werewolf in check, right?" Carolina and Sirius nodded, but Lily was confused.

"Animag-what?" she asked.

"Animagus, Lil. It's where you can temporarily transform into an animal. Supposedly you transform into an animal that reflects your inner self or something like that," explained Sirius.

"There's just one teensy-weensy problem wit your plan, James-the-Wise," said Carolina. "It's illegal. You have to be registered, and it's not like they'll let first years become animagus. You have to be powerful. You have to be smart. You have to be able to perform complex spells."

"Well, that rules James out then," muttered Lily.

"Shut up, Evans. Just shut up." James got up and stormed out of the room, tipping over his chair. Sirius glanced at Lily's stunned face.

"James is a pretty calm person, but when you get to him, he explodes. Just stay out of his way until we come back from holidays. He'll forget all about it," Sirius explained, getting up from the table. "See you on the train tonight?" Lily and Carolina nodded mutely as he got up from the table. 

"You and James haven't talked nicely to each other since your detention together," observed Carolina.

"Yes, well, I'd rather not talk to him at all, but there you are," answered Lily, flipping the pages in her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook. "What's the answer to number four?" she asked.

"Gillyweed, but that's not the point," said Carolina.

"You had a point?" wondered Lily.

"Yes! Now let me finish! What happened in your detention?"

"I discovered that James is a selfish prig with a big head and no life whatsoever." Carolina looked at her. "Fine, in a nutshell, he insulted me and I insulted him and it went on like that for awhile, until I slipped on the soapy water and fell on my arse and he laughed. I got really mad and threw my soapy water on him and left. Can you tell me the answer to number six as well?" 

"Goblins," answered Carolina. "So that's the whole reason behind your feud? He laughed and you threw water on him?"

"I think the word 'feud' is a little extreme," said Lily.

"I don't. You've played so many tricks on each other I can't even begin to list them. You've given him blue hair, jelly legs, a day with his finger stuck up his nose, a failing grade on a potions test, a hexed chair, and a broken nose. He's given you a detention, green hair, a day with 'kick me' written on your robes, a day in the hospital wing with a biting teacup clamped on your nose, a day with a lisp, a day where you smelled awful, and a day where you were magnetically charged so anything metal within five feet of you suddenly had an urge to cling to your robes. I think feud is just the right word for it." Carolina gasped for breath as she finished her little speech. 

"Blue skin," said a voice from around the book shelf.

"What?" the girls cried in alarm. Remus came around the corner.

"You forgot the time when Lily gave James blue skin for a day. And Lily, Carolina's right, feud is the perfect word for you and James' _relationship."_

"You've been eavesdropping!" accused Lily.

"I haven't been dropping any eaves, honest!" Remus said, mockingly. Lily sighed, and looked at her meticulous homework. Carolina grinned up at Remus and glanced at her watch.

"Hey, we had better be getting to the Great Hall; the carriages 'll be leaving in two minutes!" The two girls crammed their parchment into their bags and burst from the Library calling a hasty "Happy Christmas!" over their shoulders to Remus. They made it down the stairs, just in time to catch the last carriage to the train station. Only when the girls stepped out of the carriage and looked around for the train did they realize that there was no horse pulling the carriage, nor were there horses pulling the other carriages, who were wandering around the open area outside of the station. Lily and Carolina looked at each other, puzzled, until they realized that the scarlet steam engine was leaving them. The girls had to sprint to the train, and fling themselves into the first compartment they saw.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A Spaniard and a mudblood. How nice of you to join us," hissed a silky voice above the girls, who were lying flat on the floor, panting. 

_CRAP!_ thought Lily, as she quickly pushed herself to her feet. She had no intention of repeating her last encounter with Malfoy. The boys in the cabin smirked as the girls tried to straighten their robes.

"Well, how about that. All the seats in this compartment are taken. Let's go find somewhere else to sit, Lily," said Carolina, grabbing hold of Lily's skinny wrist and pulling her towards the compartment door. Snape got up from his seat to block her.

"No…I think there's plenty of room here for you. Sit down. NOW!" He pushed the girls into seats none to gently. 

"No, Carolina's got the right of it," amended Lily, hastily. "We really must be going. Get your filthy hands off me, greaseball!" She was struggling against Snape's hold on her shoulder as Malfoy strode across the compartment.

"Now Severus, are you really going to let her talk to you like that?" Lucius asked, tauntingly. "These mudbloods are getting ahead of themselves. Acting like they're worthy to be in the same five feet as pure bloods. We must teach them their place. Call it, civic duty." He reached into his robes for his wand, but Carolina was quicker.

"IMPEDIUNT!" she cried. Malfoy froze in mid-sneer. Lily turned and did the same to Snape. The girls left quickly, as the spell wore off quickly, but first giving each boy a good knee where the sun don't shine. They ran off down the hall, giggling and giving each other a high-five. After awhile, the girls began looking around for someone to sit with. Taryn's parents were visiting her elder sister at a boarding school in America for Christmas, and Taryn didn't want to go (she was scared of flying), so she was staying at the school for the holidays. They tried sitting with Peyton and Bertha for a little bit, but they grew tired of the endless gossip, and left, saying that they needed to find Sirius. 

"Well, we might as well," said Lily. "D'you think they'll be in the same compartment as before?" Carolina shrugged and they walked down to the other end of the train. Indeed, they found Sirius and James sitting in the compartment the girls had occupied on the train ride there.

"Hey guys!" said Carolina, cordially, as she entered the compartment, with Lily right behind her. The four sat in half silence for ten minutes, with James and Lily not speaking to one another. With Sirius and Carolina conspiring together in a corner, this made conversation short. Suddenly, Carolina and Sirius bolted from the room, and placed a locking charm on the door. Neither Lily, nor James could undo it, so they were stuck. Suddenly, Sirius ran up to the door, grinning like a maniac, and slid a piece of parchment under the door. Lily snatched it up and read allowed.

"Dear Bestest Friends-that's you, Lily and James-

            In case you haven't noticed, neither of you are on speaking terms with the other, and have caused serious (SIRIUS!) amounts of damage to one another in your little feud. We are all sick of it (this includes Peter and Remus and the rest of the world, we're sure) and want you two to lay off each other. You're not coming out of this room until we see you shake hands like civilized people, and sign this slip of parchment at the bottom where it says your names. (You're lucky to get away this easy. The mad dog was voting for you had to hug, and sit next to each other the whole ride.) BE NICE, STAY ALIVE, CALL US WHEN YOU'RE READY!

Sincerely-

            Carolina and Sirius

PS GOOD LUCK!" James shook his head.

"What did they mean, sign the piece of parchment?" he asked.

"There's a little blurb at the bottom, hang on. It says: We the undersigned, Lily Evans and James Potter, pledge to be friends (grudgingly) and no longer enemies, and civil to each other, and not make life for their friends a living hell. Forever. And ever. No crosses count or anything stupid." Lily grinned. "They seem rather serious about all this." 

"Let's just sign and pretend to be nice to each other. We all know you hate me, so it'll probably be harder for you," he said. Lily was outraged.

"Me hate you? You're the one who dumped water balloons on our heads on the first day of term!" she cried.

"Yeah, but I didn't pour slime over you twice!" said James.

"You're the one who went all nuclear about a little bit of slime! I don't see why it's such a big deal. I mean you got the slime off in about ten seconds. And Remus and Sirius didn't hold it against us like you did!" Lily retorted.

"Just a bit of slime? We were covered!" said James.

"Why does that matter so much to you? Covered in slime for three seconds and you immediately brand us enemies for life? Aren't you a little judgmental? I mean we even said 'sorry' for Christ's sake!" James was taken aback. Lily was really shouting at him now. Her cheeks had an angry pink tinge to them and her hands were balled up into fists.

"Fine Evans," he shouted. "Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe I was nervous about having to start a new school where my father was the head boy, my mother was a prefect, and all my uncles and aunts have graduated first in their years. Maybe I was a little bit nervous about having all of them judge me on how well I did. Maybe I just wanted to be perfect. So maybe I overreacted. I'm sorry. Can we sign the goddamn piece of parchment and get out of here?" Lily was gaping at him, open mouthed. "What Evans?" James asked impatiently.

"It's just, for a second there you sounded almost human!" Lily explained, ducking the seat cushion he threw at her. "All right then. Friends?" she asked holding out her hand.

"Friends," he agreed, shaking her hand. They signed the parchment and shoved it out from under the door. Carolina and Sirius poked their heads in.

"Oh my God," said Carolina.

"They're both alive!" gasped Sirius.

"Yes, but you wont be once we're through with you," proclaimed James, pulling out his wand. Carolina and Sirius hurriedly pulled their heads out of the compartment, just in time. Two bolts of green light hit the wall, exactly where their heads had been. Lily and James collapsed against each other, laughing.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at Kings Cross train station. After gathering their things, the four friends walked out of the barrier and into their parents' arms. Lily was picked up and swung around by her father, and smothered in her mother's kisses. Carolina began talking in rapid Spanish with a man and a woman, who had to be her parents. James solemnly shook his father's hand, and then hugged his mother, laughing. Sirius threw his arms around a man and a woman, kissing the woman on the cheek.. His father (at least, that's who Lily thought it was) had the same black hair, and his mother had Sirius's mischievous grin. Lily smiled.

"How was your term dear?" asked her mother, as her father picked up Lily's trunk.

"It was wonderful! We learned how to levitate things, and ward of poltergeists, and brew a sleeping potion," Lily said. Her father laughed.

"We've got a witch in the family!" he said, happily.

"Did you make many friends?" asked her mother. 

"Yup!" said Lily. "And they're wonderful! Carolina," she said, pointing to where her friend was getting into a green bug (A/N I LOVE those cars!), "is my best friend in the whole world! Sirius is great too! He's great at pranks. And then there's James, and Taryn, who had to stay at school over holidays, and there's Remus, who's great at chess, and…no, that's it!" Lily's father laughed again as he loaded her heavy trunk into the station wagon.

"That's our little Lily-flower! Popular to the end! What say we go out for ice-cream to celebrate your coming home?" Lily nodded excitedly and climbed into the car.

"Where's Petunia?" she asked, glancing around. 

"Oh, your sister has a large term paper due after break, so she's sitting at home starting on it," explained her father, pulling up to the ice-cream shop. "Mint Chocolate Chip?"  
            "Of course!" said Lily. "What other kind of ice-cream is there?" Her mother smiled at her.

"That's my girl!" she said, handing Lily a large double cone of green ice-cream. Lily grinned at her mother.

"It sure is good to be home," she said, getting into the car.

When they reached the Evans' white two-story house, Lily jumped out excitedly, pulling her trunk up the front stairs. After her father unlocked the door, she bolted upstairs, her trunk bouncing along behind her. Her wheeled trunk rattled down the hall behind her, until Lily reached the door at the end of the hallway and flung it open. She flopped down onto her colorful bed and glanced about her room. Each wall was painted a different shade of purple, Lily's favorite color. The rug on her floor was shag, with lavender and dark blue stripes running up and down it. The frame of her bed was blue, and the sheets were violet. A flute stand was propped against the medium purple wall, leaning against a bookcase. The bookcase was crammed with loads of books, in no particular order. Her closet door was open, showing a full length mirror attached to the inside. Her clothes were strewn about the closet floor, not one sock had been moved since she had left. The entire collection of the Lord of the Rings was resting on her bed side table, along with a green and blue lava lamp. Lily sighed with joy. It sure was great to be home.

"There you are," said a sharp voice from her door. Lily glanced up to find Petunia glaring into her room.

"Hello Petunia! How was your term?" asked Lily carefully. Petunia had been edgy to her ever since Lily had gotten her acceptance letter.

"It was alright. Listen, squirt, I have an enormous term paper due after the holidays, so no loud noises, and keep out of my room. I have real work to do," Lily's older sister said briskly, closing the door loudly behind her. Suddenly, and owl flew into Lily's bedroom window. Not into as in entered the room, into as in crashed into a pane of glass and fell into the bushes below. Lily gasped and ran down stairs, to find Carolina's owl Midnight shaking his head dazedly in the bushes. Lily carried the animal up to her room and took the letter from his leg.

Hey Lily- (the letter went)

            How's it going? Christmas vacation is so boring. Can you imagine? No Slytherins to torment, no magic, and no flying. Well, I can fly in this big field behind my house, but never mind. I just got back home, and discovered my sister, Marina, won't be back for Christmas. She has some big important business thing, but I guess that's okay. I've still got Midnight to keep me company.

Carolina

Lily shook her head, smiling, and wrote back.

Hey Carolina-

            How's it going? I just saw you half an hour ago. Boring? Christmas vacation's barely even started. I agree that no magic is a bummer, but the flying thing is really no biggie. Marina won't be back for Christmas? That's too bad. Wish my older sister would go away. Have we learned any spells that can make unwanted siblings disappear? D'you want to come over sometime? I mean, if you've only got an owl for company, it can't be too much fun. You can't tell jokes to an owl. Well, you could, but it wouldn't laugh. You can play pranks on an owl. Well, you could, but it would run away. You can't make fun of an owl. Well, you could, but it wouldn't understand. You can't…wait; I really don't care what you can or can't do with an owl…hhhhmmm. Oh well. Write back, it's terribly dull over here. 

Lily

Lily grabbed Midnight and tied the letter to his leg. She then settled back onto her bed and started reading The Hobbit for the sixtieth time.

A few hours later, her mother knocked on her door and told her that it was time for dinner.

"But Bilbo just found the entrance into Smaug's mountain!" whined Lily, but she put down her book and followed her mother to the table anyway. About midway through the steak and mashed potatoes, Midnight flew through the window and dropped a letter onto Lily's plate. Petunia shrieked and ran from the room, Ms. Evans clutched Lily's fathers arm, and Mr. Evans yelled, "What in the hell-?" Lily grinned.

"I'm so sorry. It's just, wizards send letters by owl, and it isn't dinner time yet where Carolina lives, so she didn't know she was interrupting anything," she explained. "May I be excused?" she asked, pushing back her chair. Her parents nodded, and Lily brought her plate to the sink and took Carolina's letter and owl back up to her room. In the hallway, Petunia poked her head out of her door.

"You'd better tell your freakish friends to never contact us here again. What if someone saw it?" she reprimanded, slamming her door behind her. Lily shook her head and walked into her room.

Hey again Lily-(said the letter)

            Did I send it at the right time? Did Midnight scare the crap out of your sister? Please tell me I did. I mean, if she's so bad that you want her to disappear, she ought to at least be scared of you, right? I remembered you mentioning something about how your sister Pelunia or whatever was afraid of birds…well, I tried to tell my owl a knock-knock joke, and you're right. He didn't laugh. I pulled that put hot sauce in his water trick, and he almost flew away. I made fun of him, and he just looked at me weird…I think I need to come over to your house…GET ME OUT OF HERE I THINK I'M GOING CRAZY! Just say when and I'll come. Erm…how's tomorrow? I could fly over and we could go to a movie or something. If I can't, write back. If I can, write back. (Hopefully) see you tomorrow!

Carolina

Lily smiled and yelled down the stairs, "Hey Mum! Can I have a friend from school come over tomorrow?"

"Sure, hun! Does she need a ride or will her parents drop her off?" her mother called back.

"Her parents'll drop her off. Thanks!" Lily yelled back.

Hey again Carolina-(she wrote)

            My parents said yes! Just fly over anytime tomorrow! Try not to be seen, we have the most god-awful nosy neighbors. You actually did that stuff to your poor owl? What kind of person are you? Christ! Maybe I should just keep Midnight, he'd be better off with me…well, see you tomorrow!

Lily

"Here you go," Lily said to Midnight. "This is the last letter, I promise!"              

A/N Okay y'all, is my story not good enough or something? I NEED REVIEWS! Only 20? I've seen a nine chapter story with like 200 something…now I'm all depressed! C'mon y'all! Please? Pretty pretty please with whipped cream and sprinkles and cherries and chocolate sauce on top? PLEASE!!!! *gets down on knees and begs* For some reason unbeknownst to me, I wrote a long(er) chapter for those of you who actually bother to read my story…Thanks to the few of you who reviewed: Musicizdbest-You liked the werewolf thing? Well, I know I'm doing something right…thanx for the corrections about that stuff. My mind goes blank and I can never find the books when I need a reference… Dani- Hey, when you're the only one that reviews, you're the only one that gets mentioned! Makes sense, right? :*D~ I'm smart enough to be like you? Flop flip that…wait…never mind. I think I got the updating hint. Sorry it took so long but I have two math projects due tomorrow, not to mention a reflection paper on Creation for Bible class, and then there's the fact that I have to read an entire book for English class! Chapter nine will be coming along as soon as I get a decent idea for it! Takeaguess- Gee, I wonder who you are…*coughENGLISHcough* Thank you for taking the time to read my story ol' buddy ol' pal! Yeah, I think Carolina/Sirius would be interesting too, but if you tell her I'll kill you. Can I have that green sparkily pen you used in Bible? It's mine…My own…MY PRECIOUS! LOL! Oh yeah, thanks once again for saving my @$$ 2ce today! Byes!

Keep Reading and Keep Reviewing!


	9. Of Painful Experiances

Disclaimer: The usual-I don't own anything, except maybe the plot so help me God.

Chapter Nine: Of Painful Experiences

"So what did you guys get for Christmas?" asked Sirius. "I need to know what everyone got so I can compare it to what I got so I can know if my parents are slacking off." 

"Well, let's see," began Lily. "I got a beanbag chair, three new Beatles records, an owl, loads of candy, a new flute, platform shoes, new clothes…I think that's about it…" Sirius nodded.

"Great, then my parents aren't total slackers," he said happily. "How was your Christmas Vacation here Remus?" 

"It was okay. Only four other students stayed, Taryn included, so it was really quiet. I think the teachers enjoyed it a lot actually," commented Remus, looking up from his book. The three friends were sitting in the boys' dormitory on the first day back from Christmas break. 

"How long ago did James and Peter and Carolina leave?" whined Sirius. "I'm hungry and if they don't get back here with food soon I think I'll die."

"You? Hungry?" asked Carolina, who was standing in the doorway, her robes bulging with stolen goodies. "I never would have guessed, Siri!"

"Siri?" asked James, pushing past Carolina. "Why Siri? There are so many more better things you could call him."

"Yes, but this way, you all rhyme!" said Lily. "Remie, Siri, Jamsie, and Petey. Perfectly annoying, don't you think?" The four boys glowered at her.

"If we have incredibly annoying nicknames, you should too," pronounced Sirius, cramming a custard doughnut down his throat.

"Sure, you go ahead and try to think up embarrassing nicknames for us," said Carolina mockingly. "This should be fun, Lils. They have the IQ of demented rodents."

"Now let's not be insulting," said Lily. "Rodents are actually highly intelligent creatures compared to this lot. I was thinking demented dung beetles." 

"SHUT UP!" the four boys cried in unison. The girls dissolved into giggles. 

"Speaking of stupid nicknames," inserted James, cutting off the girls' laughter, "we need a name for our little group of mad pranksters, don't ya think?"

"Yeah," said Remus. "A name that will be immortalized forever in a hall of fame, or maybe just written about in a famous children's book about a couple of kids our age that go to Hogwarts and have all sorts of mad adventures." 

"Like Bonnie and Clyde," mussed Lily.

"They aren't a group," interjected Peter. "That's just two married people robbing banks. I was thinking like the mafia or something…"

"Remie, what were you saying before that, about a Hall of Fame?" asked James, getting an idea.

"I said, we should have a name that will someday be immortalized in a hall of fame or something," said Remus.

"THAT'S IT!" cried Sirius and James.

"What's it?" the others asked cautiously. In the four months that they had known each other, everyone had learned to fear the times that Sirius and James had the same idea.

"The MARAUDERS!" they yelled. "We'll be the marauders!"

"What's a marauder," wondered Peter.

Lily cleared her throat. "Marauder- someone who roams about and raids in search of plunder." Everyone stared at her. "What? My muggle English teacher, Ms. Biggums, beat certain definitions into our brains…especially if we ever misspelled them," Lily muttered, shuddering at the memory.

"Right then," said Remus, with a cautious look at Lily. "So it's decided. The Marauders forever!" Everyone was silent for a moment.

Sirius stood up. "Now, as the functioning president of The Marauders-." He was interrupted when his audience let out a cry.

"You? A president?" gasped Peter. 

"Great we're doomed before we pull our first prank," groaned Carolina.

"Oh dear," muttered Remus.

"I believe you are mistaken," said James. "Marauders don't have presidents, they are to busy maraudering about."

"Fine," huffed Sirius. "But before you kick me out of office, let me lay down our long term goals. First, we shall become the most notorious pranksters Hogwarts has ever seen. Second, let's challenge the professors, test their creativity. Let's see how many detentions it is possible to retain in one year. Third, we have to make Malfoy wet his pants at least once-"

"Here, here!" cried Lily, grinning like a maniac. Sirius looked daggers at her.

"-and last but not least, we must discover all passages in and out of Hogwarts, cause how else are we going to avoid Filch and detentions and that despicable cat?" His last words were almost drowned out with the cheers that filled the room. Sirius grinned. "Thank you, thank you, thank you very much," he said in a fake American accent. Lily and Remus laughed, but no one else got it. "Oh never mind. I'm just a poor misunderstood genius."

"Um, yeah, except for that whole genius part," said Carolina. Sirius muttered something under his breath waving his wand inconspicuously. Everything was silent for a moment, and then Lily squeaked while Carolina bolted into the bathroom, and the boys rolled about on the floor laughing. 

"JESUS CHRIST!" Carolina bellowed from the bathroom. "SIRIUS YOU BLOODY IDIOT!" This just made the boys laugh harder. Even Lily submitted and began to giggle uncontrollably as Carolina walked back into the room with newly sprouted cat ears, claws and whiskers, and her newly sprouted white-gold tail draped gracefully over one arm. 

"Well, you can serve as our mascot at the Quidditch match today. And since that spell wont wear off for another two hours, I think we should force her to go," said Sirius with an evil twinkle in his black eyes.

"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!" Carolina yelled, rather like a war cry, as she flung herself at the unsuspecting Sirius. The other four just stood to the side, mouths hanging open. After five minutes of scrambling and clawing (I'll bet Sirius regretting adding those to the spell, Lily grimaced inwardly.) and hair pulling, Carolina sat heavily on top of Sirius's stomach. He whimpered. "Now, Siri, what was that you were saying about the Quidditch match?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, your majesty. I am truly sorry for causing you this trouble, and I humbly repent. Now will you get your elbow out of my gut and kindly relocate your knee?" he said, his face pale, and screwed up against the pain. Carolina blushed lightly and got off of him. James and Remus pulled him to his feet, but he promptly collapsed against Lily, toppling her onto the nearest bed. Carolina smiled victoriously and left the room, muttering about incompetent fools. Sirius sat up, holding his head.

"That…girl…can…fight…" he whimpered, clutching his left cheek, where scars were already forming, and his stomach.

"Erm, Sirius?" wheezed Lily, her voice muffled.

"Yes?"

"Could you get off me? I can't breathe." Sirius smiled and got off.

"Right, because you would rather it were Jamsie here lying on top of you, wouldn't you?" Peter managed to race across the room and twist Lily's arms behind her back before she could maul Sirius.

"Now Siri," Remus said reasonably. "Do you really want to have your arse kicked by two girls on the same day?" Sirius grinned and sauntered out of the room. Peter let Lily go. She slowly stretched her muscles, rather like a cat, and slunk out of the room quietly, her emerald eyes glittering.

"Sirius just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut…boy is that remark going to come back to haunt him," muttered Remus prophetically. 

The next morning, Sirius woke up to find that all of his robes and clothes, down to every last sock, had been dyed a brilliant shade of pink. He gulped, and begged his friends for their extra clothes, but somehow, all their spares had mysteriously disappeared during the night, leaving Sirius to walk into the Great Hall looking like a rather terrifying stick of disturbingly pink cotton candy. His blushing face did nothing to help the outfit, and then, to make things worse, when he sat down at the Gryffindor table amid gales of laughter, Lily and Carolina sat down beside him 

"Why Siri, pink? It just doesn't suit you, you know," said Carolina casually.

"Yes, but I have some lovely pink platforms that you could borrow if you like," Lily added wickedly. He glared at them.

"Your time will come, Richardson. And yours will come too, Evans. I'll be back!" he stormed out of the room, colliding with Professor McGonagall. Lily saw him speak to her quietly, and soon she was marching over to the two guilty girls.

"Lily Evans and Carolina Richardson, what did you do to Mr. Black's robes?" she demanded shrilly.

"Why professor," said Lily, in a voice that had earned her the nickname teacher's pet. "I really have no earthly idea what you could be talking about. I mean, I couldn't help but noticed Sirius's change in attire, but really, when would we have had time to do this? I'm sure if you ask Taryn or Peyton they will tell you that we were in our beds all night. I do believe that you have to wrong people, but good luck catching the culprit." Lily tuned her smile into sticky-sweet mode, perfect for melting any teacher's heart.

"All right Ms. Evans. Mr. Black must have been mistaken. Thank you for clearing that up for us," said the professor, swooping off to her seat at the teachers table. Carolina gazed awestruck at Lily.

"That was amazing!" she gasped. "You were wonderful. That was brilliant!" Lily smiled.

"Yes, I agree, that was one of my better performances. Oh crap, I left my books for Charms in the dorm. Want to come with?" Carolina nodded, and they walked out into the entrance hall. Suddenly, Sirius popped out from behind a suit of armor. 

"So what is it then?" he asked eagerly. "Detention for a week? A month?" The girls smiled at him sickeningly.

"We would tell you, but we don't talk to snitches," huffed Carolina. The girls stalked off, leaving Sirius staring at their retreating backs. Suddenly, he bolted after them, jumping and leaning on their shoulders.

"You mean you weren't _punished?" he asked. The girls smiled as they rubbed sore shoulders._

"Wow Sirius. Pretty quick on the uptake there, aren't you?" Carolina mocked. He sighed.

"I'll never understand girls," he said.

"Earth is full Siri, GO HOME!" said Lily. "C'mon Lina, I still have to get my books." The girls sauntered off, leaving Sirius standing alone in the hall with his deflated ego and hot pink robes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day had not gone well for Sirius. He had gotten two detentions, one from McGonagall for 'deliberately placing the blame on two innocent girls as your idea of a joke' and another from Professor Centia because he had 'failed to comply with the dress code'. And even worse, today was the day the Slytherins decided that they had had enough.

It was after potions class when Sirius, James, Carolina, Lily, and Peter were cornered by Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Snape. The unsuspecting Gryffindors were caught totally off guard, and after a furious ten-minute battle, Lily and Peter had legs made of stone, Sirius had hot pink hair to 'match his new outfit', and James and Carolina had been silenced by some bizarre spell that Malfoy had thrown at them.

"Damn it," said Sirius, kicking the wall. "Damn it damn it damn it!" Lily was unsympathetic.

"Well at least you can move Siri," she said impatiently. "Now get the hell out of here and find a professor." Before he could leave Carolina jumped in front of him, waving her arms wildly.

"What the bloody hell are you doing" he asked. Carolina jumped up and down, screaming silently. Peter was the first to understand.

"Don't tell them it was the Slytherins. Do you have no pride? Tell them we got in a fight with each other and it got out of control." Carolina grinned at him and collapsed against the stone wall, wiping her forehead. Sirius smiled.

"Gotcha," he said, speeding off down the corridor.

"What a mess," Lily moaned, desperately trying to move her legs, but to no avail. Peter patted her arm sympathetically, while James banged his head against the wall repeatedly. 

"This is bloody brilliant," Lily said. "Taken down by a bunch of SLYTHERINS. How mortifying." Carolina nodded her head emphatically, and James slid down to the floor, cursing silently.

"You know," Peter said slowly, "I'll bet you half of the hexes they used were either illegal or against school rules…in fact, I'm almost positive that the curse they used to turn our legs to stone was outlawed…" This time it was James's turn to jump up and down. "Yes, I suppose you're right James…as long as the whole school thinks that it was just a stupid fight, the Slytherins can't get any glory out of it." Lily looked at him. "What?" he asked, catching her eye.

"How do you understand them?" she wondered. "That's twice you've done it!" Peter shrugged.

"Luck I guess. Oh, here comes McGonagall, look sharp," Peter instructed.

"And angry at each other," Lily whispered as an after thought. McGonagall came gasping up to them, red faced with fury.

"How dare you!" she wheezed. "No magic in the corridors! It's strictly forbidden! And no fighting!" she stopped and gasped. "And that's the Stoning Curse! It was banned at all wizarding school and in some small countries! Which one of you did this?" Every glanced around nervously, as Peter muttered, 'I told you so" under his breath.

"Not confessing are we? Not ratting out the perpetrator? Well then, I believe that this little spat of yours has earned you each two weeks worth of detentions."

"Two weeks?!?" Sirius cried. He guiltily clapped a hand over his mouth as McGonagall focused her heavy glare on him.

    "Did I say two weeks?" she said, grinning rather like a pouncing cat. "I meant a month for you Mr. Black. Is that clear?"

"A month?" Lily gasped stupidly. "Just for speaking his mind? That's not fair!"

"Well, life's not fair and then you die Ms. Evans," said McGonagall coldly. "And I believe that you have just signed up to join Mr. Black in his long month of detention. Any other volunteers?" Everyone shook their head, and McGonagall turned to leave.

"Excuse me, Professor?" Lily said quietly. McGonagall whirled around. "We can't move, and Carolina and James there can't talk, so if you don't mind?" The professor nodded curtly, and Lily felt herself being lifted into the air.

"I don't know how to fix this, so you might as well come to the Hospital Wing. You, Black, will go through the day with your lovely pink hair as a reminder, and Ms. Richardson and Mr. Potter will get their voices restored. Follow me those that can walk!" she barked, leading a strange procession of comical characters through the passageway.

"Bloody evil that one is," said Sirius quietly, to no one in particular. They all nodded, scared of speaking aloud in her presence. Twenty minutes later, they were all back to their regular state, excepting Sirius, and walking back to the common room.

"I'd rather not show my face in the Great Hall tonight," Lily said, expressing the feelings of the group. "Our dorm or yours?" she asked.

"Oh lets go to theirs," begged Carolina hoarsely, still regaining her voice. "If I have to spend one more second hearing about how _hot_ Sirius and James are, I think I'll puke." Sirius and James looked at her, confused.

"Not _us!" cried Lily, scrunching up her nose, disgusted at the very thought. "Gross!" _

"I resent that!" the two boys said at the same time, opening the door to their dorm. 

"It's just that, we like you, but SO not in that way," explained Carolina rationally.

"And if I ever do end up liking either of you in that way, Carolina, shoot me, please," Lily said grinning at the lovely shade of magenta the boys were becoming. It clashed horribly with Sirius's robes. They sat in silence for ten minutes until they heard someone walking slowly up the stairs. The door swung open, and there stood Remus, looking as pale as anyone could be without being dead. He was leaning against the door frame, to tired to hold us his fragile body. Lily rushed over to him and he gratefully slung an arm over her shoulder, letting her lead him to his bed.

"Was it that bad Remie?" Last night had been the full moon, which was why Remus had not participated of any of the day's events. He grimaced, and nodded. Lily patted his back sympathetically.

"Well," James said, "it can't have been worse than what we just went through." Remus glanced around the room, and almost laughed out loud when he spotted Sirius's new look.

"One word, and you're dead Lupin." Remus raised his eyebrows. "Today has not been my day and trust me, you don't want to be the one who pushes me over the edge." Noting the malicious tone in Sirius's voice, Remus just nodded. 

"What were you saying James? About the terrible day or whatever?" His voice was raspy from the unearthly howls he had been uttering all night, and his tongue was sore from the splinters that had lodged there as he had chewed several chairs to bits.

"Let's see…The day started out all right for me, and the girls, who got some serious-don't even think about it, Siri-revenge. Then we got silenced, dyed, and stoned by a bunch of crappy Slytherins. Any questions?" Remus raised a hand.

"Am I allowed to make an editorial comment?" he rasped. James nodded, and Remus rocked with laughter. Everyone else growled, and threw the nearest pillows at their laughing friend.

(A/N) Hey y'all! I'm sorry it took me so long, but my muse is on vacation and the replacement one was late for work (it is exactly 2,926 words, though!). I have been working on the story (I think Valentines Day has been affecting my brain, because I have already written Lily and you-know-who's (not Voldie you idiots, James) first smoocheroo. And someone elses, but I'm not telling! (free butterbeer to those that can guess). And, I, with the help of my new editor (I LOVE YOU ENGIE!) have decided that this story (however painful it may be) will continue through Harry's fifth year at least! And guess what (here's where you say 'What?' and act all interested in what I have to say) IT HAS A PLOT! AND SURPRISES! AND A TWIST! BOO-YAH! Okay, now that I have gotten that general weirdness out of my system—it's time for some thank you's and all that crap-me- awesome writer? YES! I LOVE YOU! rosezgarden-Thank you! Sure I'll check out your story (it may take awhile cuz my parents are seriously (SIRIUSLY!) pissed about me being online all the time) hgytuy-thanks! Glad you liked it! I'm sure going to keep writing, I've got lotsa ideas! Musicizdbest- well, our first book (it was bought the year it came out) is a total wreck-missing pages, popsicles stains (guilty), etcetera…and don't worry about the wreck of a room, I've got one too, and if you think that's bad you should see my locker *shudders*. I think I'm actually growing something in there…as to the Hobbit, I like it a lot, but I like books that are in series better. For some reason I like The Two Towers the best (Eowyn kicks @$$!)…Avebury- Well I like the green pen MORE! SO THERE! It corrupted you? you mean more than before, right? Hey, it turned my finger green too! DUDE! Dani- Sorry it took me so long to update…I hate school! I never said Remus was good at chess, I just said that he was teaching her chess (I think it's because he's supposed to be really smart, and the playing of chess takes intelligence and uummm….something else…) Tell me more about this Running Weasel thing! That sounds really cool, but I am a little confumbled…I like the lion attributes idea (that sort of gave me the idea for Sirius's spell!), but I'd rather have pranks no one has used you know? Not that I didn't appreciate your help, but still! 

Thank You One And All!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

For those of you who review my story-I think the first year is going kinda slow, and I was wondering if I could speed it up a little (like fit the rest of the year into the next chappie) because I have this awesome idea for their 2nd year and I NEED TO WRITE IT DOWN! Well, let me know—luv yas!

Yours Truly.

PS. If any of y'all are looking for a good story, check out Everglades, by my good friend Avebury!


	10. Of Holidays and All that Crap

Disclaimer: IT'S NOT MINE!

Chapter Ten: Of Holidays and All That Crap

Lily sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes sleepily. Then she remembered what day it was. Meanwhile, in the first year boys' dormitory, James was doing the same thing.

"Shit!" they cried as one, but neither of them new it. Both had just remembered that it was their least favorite day of the year.

"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!" cried Carolina, bouncing off the walls (quite literally). Lily groaned and rolled over, covering her head with a pillow. 

"D'you think the professors would notice if I just slept til tomorrow?" she yawned.

"Now why on earth would you want to do that?" asked Carolina, curious.

"Because it is a holiday designed to make losers and rejects, such as myself, feel unwanted and unloved by showering those prettier than us and more popular than us with lace covered hearts and kisses. In short-I don't like public humiliation." Carolina grinned.

"You, my friend, are getting your sorry arse out of bed, and coming down stairs to breakfast. NOW! You may wonder why I am doing this. I don't know. Maybe it's because I just ate the five pounds of chocolate my mother sent me and are officially bouncing off the walls. Or maybe it's because I enjoy torturing you…the world will never know," Carolina grinned as she whipped the sheets off Lily's bed, leaving her shivering in a small tank top and boxers. 

"I choose the latter," she grumbled rolling out of bed and yanking some robes from her open trunk. She grudgingly pulled on her uniform as slowly as possible, taking her time to survey the situation. Carolina was jumping on her bed again and spinning around in circles at the same time. Taryn, who could sleep through a train-wreck, was lightly snoring, snuggled deep under the covers, while Peyton was in the bathroom, putting on what Lily was sure was her third layer of mascara. 

Realizing that Lily was almost done changing, Carolina flew off the bed and yanked Lily out of the room. They tripped down the stairs, probably because Lily was having trouble pulling on her other shoe with one arm while being pulled-none to gently, mind you-down a large flight of stairs by the other. They landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs to a loud round of applause from the other Gryffindors still in the Common Room. Carolina stood up and bowed, and then shoved Lily out the portrait hole. 

The Great Hall was not decorated for the occasion, much to the chagrin of a Hufflepuff third year that Lily didn't know.

"Valentine's Day should be extravagant!" he shouted to his friends, arms flailing wildly, shoving a lock of golden hair out of his watery eyes. "Confetti, cupids…" Lily grimaced as she walked by him. 

"Hogwarts will rue the day they ever put Gilderoy Lockhart in charge of decorations," Remus said pointedly, nodding over at the blonde boy they had just passed. "Here Lily, Happy Valentine's Day!" He handed her a red card, and Lily's eyes misted over. As she blinked furiously, she remembered the last Valentine's Day she had celebrated.

"Hey freak!" This was Petunia's special way of acknowledging her sister's presence in their shared room. She was thirteen years old at the time. "Did you get any Valentines?" she asked mockingly, knowing the answer before she asked the question.

You see, Lily didn't have many friends. Oh she had about three close friends, but she was one of the youngest kids in her grade, and other kids made fun of her glasses (thanks to Madame Pompfrey, Lily no longer needed glasses, nor contacts). Lily blushed furiously and continued reading her book.

"Well, that's too bad," Petunia whispered maliciously, unzipping her bookbag, and flipping it over above her bed. Lily gaped as heart shaped card after heart shaped card piled up on top of the bed, some spilling off onto the floor. Petunia had always been popular. With her pastel green eyes and long golden locks, guys practically lined up for her…

"Lily? Lily? Hello?" a hand was waving in front of Lily's face. She jumped a little, and found she was staring straight into Carolina's wide eyes.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I just hallucinated for a second. "Thanks for the card Remus, but…" she trailed off, and Carolina picked up.

"Lily doesn't believe in Valentine's Day," she said. Remus nodded, knowingly. Suddenly, a large black owl knocked into Lily's goblet of Pumpkin juice and dropped a letter in the spreading mess. Lily glared at the unrepentant bird and snatched the card out of the juice. She shook it once, and looked at it. It was heart shaped with cheap white lace around the edge. In the middle of the heart were the words: Lily- I hate you. Drop dead. –James. She grinned.

James sat down at the table, and, noticing the mess and Lily's amused stare, commented, "So, like your Valentine Evans?" She smiled again.

"James, it was just the absolute cutest," she fake squealed. She reached across the table and pinched his cheek. Sirius burst out laughing, and even Remus was having a hard time hiding a smile. James was blushing, and Lily sat back happily; her job here was done.

The rest of the year passed quickly, with a few major highlights.

1.) On Easter, Carolina got even with Sirius for his cat ears prank, by hexing him so that he had to hop around school all day with an adorable cotton ball tail, fluffy white bunny ears, a soft pink nose, and extra large front teeth.

2.) April Fool's Day went well for the Marauders, beginning with a classic prank, and ending with total humiliation. When the Slytherins sat down to breakfast, all jumped up immediately crying out in pain and rubbing their rear ends. It was a most humorous sight, especially for the Marauders, knowing that the old Invisible Thumbtack (courtesy of Sirius's mother) trick had worked like a charm. Later that day, after giving Professor Centia a hot foot, and Professor Necare a cookie filled with cracked pepper, they finished with a bang. Literally. They rigged the Slytherins roast turkey to explode at exactly seven thirty, spattering the entire hall with globs of nastiness.

3.) Surprisingly, they all passed their finals. Not surprisingly, their lowest course was Potions. 

The last day of term was a joyous one. They spent their last day at school by the lake, tossing the giant squid hiccupping sweats.

"D'you think it's actually eating them?" pondered Peter.

"Who cares," said Remus lazily. "It's almost summer."

Lily sighed, and Remus glanced at her questioningly. "Well, it's just that, summer for you all, and summer for me are two very different things," she explained.

"What?" asked Sirius, joining their conversation.

"I just mean that, none of you guys have a fourteen year old sister named Petunia who takes her joy out of making her little sister's life a living hell," she stated morosely. Sirius nodded.

"Y'know, I could invite you over," he offered. Lily shook her head vehemently. 

"One Black was bad enough," she chided, shuddering, "imagine what a whole house of them would be like."

"People have a word for something like that," James said walking over.

"Torture?" supplied Carolina.

"Exactly," said James, nodding. Sirius glowered at them both and splashed them. Carolina shrieked, James bellowed, and they both attacked Sirius full force.

"Poor boy," said Remus calmly, obviously not disturbed by the usual scene of chaos taking place. "He doesn't stand a chance!" Lily smiled at him, and flopped back onto the grass, taking off her cloak and bunching under her head like a starchy pillow.

"So Remus," Peter asked. "I know I've asked you at least a million times, but where are you staying for the Hols again?"

"I'm going to stay with my grandmum in Surrey," he explained patiently. "Where're you going again, Peter?"

"Back to Devonshire," he said. "We've got a big family reunion next week."

Lily shuddered. "Always hated those," she said. "Full of second cousins and third cousins and so on, until you get to fifty third cousins that you never even knew existed, nor did you care."

"And then there's the cheek pinching and hair ruffling," added Peter.

"And the big lipstick prints on your face from fat aunts," concluded Remus. "Oh look, it seems as though the fights breaking up." It did seem that way, and it was only a matter of seconds until they found out why. 

"TIDAL WAVE!" Carolina screamed unnecessarily as she sprinted all out for the shore. Lily and the two boys scrambled to their feet and fled, but none were quick enough for the giant wave. They were all thoroughly soaked, drenched in icy cold water.

"Well, he did eat the sweats then," said James, taking off his glasses and shaking his hair that was lying flat for the first time in months. "We heard this enormous hiccupping sound, and then ran for our lives. The giant squid must have eaten all of them." Everyone was silent for a moment. Then, suddenly, Peter began to snigger, and that set them all off. By the time they got back to the common room, it was well past dark, and they had dripped over practically every inch of the castle.

"I consider the day seized!" said Lily, trying to squeeze every last drop of water out of her long hair.

"Tomorrow, let's seize the day and throttle it!" said Carolina, crawling sleepily into bed. And with that comforting thought, they both drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning was dreary indeed. Well, the train ride home was fine, full of joy and exploding cards, but as soon as they entered into the muggle world again, Lily felt lost and confused. Her mother was there to meet her, with a pouting Petunia waiting by her side; arms crossed and foot tapping with impatience. Lily smothered her mother in her usual hug, and she seemed happy to see her youngest daughter, but Lily could see that something was wrong. 

Her mothers copper hair was splattered with gray that Lily couldn't remember being there at Christmas. She seemed smaller, not in size, but something else in her mother had diminished. Her smile looked weaker, and the light from her eyes wasn't dancing, it seemed more like a kind of funeral march. After giving each Marauder a hug (excepting James of course. They just exchanged cheerful goodbyes) she and the smaller portion of her family walked to the car in the light rain.

"Well," Lily thought. "Isn't that fitting?" When they had all piled into the car Lily asked the question that had been nagging at the back of her mind since she stepped off the platform.

"Mum? Where's Daddy?" she asked quietly, nervously breaking the uncomfortable silence that had been filling the small station wagon.

"Lilikins? You know how your father hadn't been feeling well for a while before you left?" Lily nodded slowly, not liking the direction this conversation had turned. "Well, a month or so after you left for school again, after Christmas, the doctors figured out what was wrong. Honey, your father has Leukemia." Lily gasped, and felt a sob escape her. Not wanting to face reality, she broke herself off from all communications, and turned to look at the drab scene flashing past her window. 

There were loads of grey houses, all squashed tightly together, surrounded in a rainy fog. As she pressed her face against the window, Lily's tears matched the drops of rain gathering on the window of the car.

"The doctors must be wrong," she thought. "There's no other explanation for this…not Daddy. Please, not Daddy." She let her mind drift off, and found herself reliving special moments with her father.

There was the time she had fallen out of a tree and broken her arm, two days before Halloween (her favorite holiday), and her Dad had made her an amazing space suit costume to match the cast so she could still go for Tricks or Treats. Or there was the time he had stayed up all night to help her memorize lines for a school play the next day. And the number of times he had gotten off work early to come home and play with Lily and Petunia. And the way they sang together, and how he was up to date with everything kids liked…

Without Lily realizing it, they had pulled into the driveway of their bland house. Normally, Lily would look at it, and find the elephant hidden on its front. The prominent chimney made the trunk, the two squinty windows from her parent's room were the eyes, and the two long windows by the base of the trunk were its tusks. Today Lily just didn't seem up to it. She sullenly yanked her trunk out of the back of the car, kick it up the stairs, and bolted up to her room. She buried her face in a purple pillow and cried until she could cry no more. Then she walked over to her flute case and opened it reverently. She plucked the instrument out of the velvet lining and pieced it together efficiently, trying not to cry as she put it to her mouth.

"Dad gave me this on my tenth birthday," she thought. Sniffling a bit, she played a slow, flowing song called Peace Prelude. It was a quiet, almost mournful tune, exactly how Lily felt right at that moment. As she played the last lingering notes, she became aware that something was hovering outside her window, rapping at it with sharp talons.

"Midnight," she thought, gently laying the flute on her dresser. She opened the window for the drenched bird, letting it rest on her bed creating a damp spot right where Lily was about to sit.

"Thank you," she said to the bird, half sarcastically. She shook open the note and read it.

Lily-

            Summer Hols at last! It's great to be back home isn't it? I wish I had something to say…I guess I'm just sending a letter for old time's sake, right? Guess what? My family's going to stay in Spain the whole summer with my entire family! Isn't that great? I hope your summer is awesome!

-Carolina

Lily stared at the paper in a blind rage. After what she had just found out? All that she had gone through in the past hour? How dare Carolina write her a letter with so many happy thoughts? So many comments about the whole family? 

Lily grabbed a fresh piece of paper out of a drawer and began to write. It felt odd writing with a ballpoint pen after spending the last year of her life using a quill, but no matter. Lily was having the worst day of her life, and she needed to take out her anger on someone. She wrote a scorching retort to Carolina's cheerful letter, sure to crush her friend's happiness. Without thinking, Lily grabbed Midnight off the bed and swiftly tied the letter to his leg.

With an indignant hoot, he took off into the rainy night. Two seconds later, Lily realized what she had just done, and ran to her open window, calling for the bird.

"Midnight! Midnight?" she was almost in tears. "Midnight, come back!" and with that, she flung herself onto her bed and cried herself to sleep.

(A/N) Heys! It's great to here from y'all! I was inspired by my many thoughtful reviews to work my arse off to get this thing written. None of y'all ventured a guess about the other kissing couple, but oh well…more butterbeer for me! I'll need it; Valentine's Day depresses me…in fact Lily's retort to Carolina's hyperness earlier in the chapter was my own…well, hope y'all enjoyed it! I DA TEXAN – erm…thanks…I think…Dani- hello really creepy separated brain! What's up? I really liked the invisible thumbtacks (as you can see), and yes I do enjoy rhyming…though at times is can get annoying…especially with sisters like mine who try to do it all the time *shudders* Please do continue to send weird reviews, they are the highlight of my day (knowing that someone out there is sharing a somewhat creepy half of my brain around explains a lot as to why I don't have common sense…) Musicizdbest- yes, I would definitely have to list bringing lunch to school on the first day and leaving the cruddy container in your locker under your clothes for five months, would most definitely make my list of Top Ten Things to Never Ever Ever Ever Do…well, it takes three people to close my locker on good days…you don't want to know about the bad days *involuntary shudder* Elfmoon87- Yays! You like me, you really like me! And the characters? Cool, that's great…it's always reassuring to know that I'm doing something right. Serenity-Salarin- yes ma'am (sir?) Avebury- notta problem Engie! (Almost) anything to help a friend! I STILL WANT THE GREEN PEN! What did you think about the Bible movie? In reality, we were actually supposed to watch a different more boring movie and take notes! SCORE! fairypixie3- Thanks, will do! Fowl-Star-I'm glad you like it! And by the way, Remie is SO MINE! I have no idea why you would want to be a prefect (except for the bathroom of course!) but sure, tell me your name, and if I remember, you can be a prefect. Which house would you like? Take your pick. Go ahead and use my characterization of Siri in your story…let me know when you've uploaded it! Yeah, I'll try to add in Remie more, but see, he's the smart(er) one of the group, and would probably be more cautious about it, but eventually the others are going to be a BAAAAAAD influence on him. Okay, here's my reasoning behind the thing about Peter: He had to be a good friend for them to trust him with the Secret keeper spell, or they wouldn't have changed. In order to be a good friend, you can't be completely retarded, but I'll work it in, thanks. Oh, don't worry about the don'tyouwannaknow one. That was my sister. I had gotten her in BIG trouble and she was trying to get revenge in a major way. Too bad she sucks at it. Fairy Dust Eye Shadow? I'll look into it…Thanks for the musical suggestions…my dad is freaking obsessed, and he dragged me down with him. I love the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, though Bob Dillan isn't too bad…If you read this chappie, it'll tell you who he lives with. AND BACK OFF THE WEREWOLF! HE'S MINE! Obsession with spelling? Do you by any chace have OCD, because it sure seems like it. Therapist Bob- terribly sorry about that frying pan…hope the swelling goes down!

CHRIST! That was almost as long as my chappie…well, I've got to go to Basketball Practice! Happy Valentine's Day (yuk) to ALL!


	11. Of Many Greetings

Disclaimer: IT'S NOT MINE!

Chapter Eleven: Of Many Greetings

After that, the summer holidays did not go well for Lily. She never received a return letter from Carolina, and had no contact with the wizarding world whatsoever. Petunia continued to make her life as horrible as humanly possible, and her mother did nothing to help, sitting around weeping or staring morosely out windows.

One bright point on the horizon was when her father came back from the hospital. Lily hadn't seen him since Christmas because visitors weren't allowed in the Intensive Care unit, where doctors were monitoring her father's condition. When he walked slowly through the front door, Lily was ecstatic, but her joy didn't last for long. Her father was getting better, but he wasn't allowed any physical activity, so Lily spent her days alone.

Another good time was when her mother had to drive her father to the hospital in London, and dropped Lily off at the Leaky Cauldron for the day. Tom the bartender gladly traded her muggle pound notes for the correct amount of sickles, knuts, and galleons, flashing her a gap-toothed smile. Unfortunately she didn't run into any of her friends during her hour of shopping.

Lily passed away most of her time locked in her purple sanctuary, reading and playing the flute. Eventually there was only two weeks left until September first, then, slowly, one week left. As the Day came closer, time seemed to slow to a grinding halt. Every minute seemed to last an eternity. Lily had had no idea how much she had loved Hogwarts. She missed Remus's gentle sarcasm, Carolina's temper, Sirius's stupidity, Peter's quiet smile, heck; she even began to miss James. 

"Now that's a sign of pure desperation," she thought desolately. The next few days saw Lily packing her trunk excitedly, unpacking it, and repacking it out of sheer boredom. 

On August 31st, Lily could not fall asleep for the life of her. She just sat up the whole night, gazing into her lava lamp, entranced by the blobs of floating colors. At six o'clock she decided that her family had had enough rest, and she clattered noisily down the stairs, jumping the last seven with practiced ease. Trying to be as loud as possible, she quickly made a fresh batch of scrambled eggs. Halfway through her meal, Lily's bleary-eyed mother stumbled down the stairs, hair a-frizz and robe askew. Her father quickly followed, flashing Lily the proud smile he reserved just for his little witchlet. They ate a silent breakfast, after which Lily took a quick shower and dressed in her favorite outfit. She was ready to go, trunk and all, at seven thirty, but her parents refused to leave until they had taken leisurely showers, and three cups of black coffee a piece. After that they had to contend with late morning traffic and no parking spaces. By this time, Lily was pissed.

"Guys?" she said. Her parents turned around. "This is going to take forever. I'll just grab my trunk out of the back and run for it, all right?" Her father nodded, but her mother looked nervous.

"But Lily," she said, "be sure to look both ways before crossing the street, and be careful, don't do anything dangerous…" Lily just smiled at her mothers usual complaints. 

"I'll be fine, mum. Promise," she kissed her cheek, and high-fived her father. "See you at Christmas! Love you!" She stepped out of the car and into the busy parking lot as her father called out, "Have a great time kiddo!" She waved back at him and bolted across the street, lugging her heavy trunk. With out taking any precautions, she just melted through the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten into a world of sounds and sights that she loved.

As she soaked in the swishing black cloaks, and caught fragments of conversations ("Did anyone do that Potions assignment...?" "Mum, I can't find my wand!") something crashed into her from behind. Nimbly maneuvering herself before she could tumble to the ground, Lily caught sight of her assailant. 

"Remus!" she squealed happily, hugging him tightly.

"Air Lily, AIR!" he wheezed into her ear, struggling against her death grip on his body. She grinned apologetically and let go, stepping back to look at him. He was less pale then before, and seemed to have grown even taller (or maybe she had shrunk…) over the summer; for now she only came up to his shoulder.

"You're shrinking, Evans," came a voice from behind her. She turned around to find her self facing glasses and a big smile. 

"Potter!" she cried, and it was all she could do to keep from hugging him. "Couldn't manage to comb your hair once over the Hols I see." Suddenly, with a huge bang, they all found themselves lying on the ground, with a grinning lunatic on the top of the pile.

"SIRIUS!" they all yelled. Or tried to yell in Remus's case. It's pretty hard to yell when you are being sat upon by three twelve year olds. James pushed his friend off, and then helped Lily and Remus to their feet. Lily was surprised when he offered her help, but gladly accepted; she felt like she had severely bruised something or other.

"You…idiot," gasped Remus, clutching his rib cage.

"Well I wasn't the one standing in front of the barrier where just anybody could barge into them," he grinned. "Come on then, lets find a room." Seeing that this made sense, they followed him onto the train, claiming the first free compartment they found. As soon as they had gotten settled in, the compartment door opened once again.

"Well there you are," said Carolina. "You have to pick the place on the bloody end of the train." She tossed her trunk into the room, not caring where it landed. Unfortunately, it happened to end up on Sirius's foot.

"BLOODY HELL!" he cried. Carolina smiled innocently, and chucked it up onto a rack. She then looked around the room to see who else was there. When she saw Lily, her face hardened, and she sat down as far away from her as possible. If the boys noticed, they didn't comment on it, though Remus gave Lily a concerned look. She just shook her head. If Carolina wasn't going to talk to Lily, Lily wasn't going to talk to Carolina. Eventually, though, after the train got under way and Peter had joined their group, the silence grew so strained, that Remus felt he had to say something.

"Okay, I don't know what's going on between you two," he said, indicating Lily and Carolina, "but I don't like it and if you guys don't at least explain what the heck is going on…" he left his unfinished threat linger in the air. Carolina spoke first, jumping ahead of Lily.

"All I know is," she said harshly, "I sent Lily a perfectly nice letter on the first day of Hols, and she sent me one back saying how I was inconsiderate and she didn't ever want to hear from me again." Lily stared determinedly at her shoes as everyone in the compartment turned to look at her.

"Lily?" Remus said quietly. Suddenly, Lily burst into tears, shocking them all. Even Carolina looked at her worriedly, though she tried to hide it. Peter offered her a wrinkled hankie, but she pushed it aside and wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve, sniffling.

"Sorry," she croaked. "Carolina, I understand if you hate me, but at least let me tell you the whole story…when I got home from school, I found out that my daddy has leukemia…a really severe form of it, and even magic can't cure it…I just…I was-" she suddenly started sobbing again, and hung her head, letting her long auburn locks hide her face.

James felt really strange at that moment. He had never seen Lily look so helpless before. None of them had, and it unsettled them a bit to see their strong friend, whom they could always count on for a stinging retort or a biting insult, look so weak. Remus sat down on the seat next to her, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She buried her head in his shoulder and cried for a few more minutes, creating a wet spot on his shirt. Then she pushed her hair out of her eyes, but left her head on Remus's shoulder.

She sniffled a bit, and then said, "I'm really sorry…Carolina, will you-?"Carolina cut her off by standing up and walking over to Lily. She looked at her closely for a minute or so, and then gave her a hug. Lily's smile was radiant, and it made everyone else smile too. Then Sirius realized something.

"Hey Jamsie," he grinned wickedly, "it looks like you've got some competition for our Lily-flower over there." He indicated Lily, whose head was still on Remus's shoulder. She sat up immediately, a pink tinge in her cheeks.

"Hey Sirius," she said quietly.

"Yes darling Lily?"

"SHUT UP!" Lily wasn't the only one that yelled. Apparently James had had enough as well. This only made Sirius's grin wider. 

"Saying the same thing now, are we? Growing closer every year!" He was hit in the head by two flying pillows, and shut up. The rest of the ride passed quietly. Carolina and Lily were talking quietly, though at times there were awkward silences, and Lily knew they were her fault. When they were almost there, the girls kicked the boys out of the compartment.

"BUT MAJORITY RULES!" they screamed pitifully as the door slid shut. The girls giggled.

"Boys are such wimps," Carolina said, yanking on her sweater.

"No kidding. And they're stupid too. I mean, how smart is it to start every day by tying a little noose around your neck," Lily grumbled, loosely knotting her red and gold striped tie. They sighed, and admitted the boys back into the room, just in time for them to leave again when the train stopped.

As they stepped off the train into the cold wind swirling around the station, they saw loads of horseless carriages waiting for them that they hadn't noticed the previous year. They all crammed into one, or at least tried to. Lily was the last one to enter the cramped carriage, and by that time there was no room for her. She stopped in the doorway.

"I'll go find another carriage," she said with amusement, seeing how Carolina's face was mashed up against one side of the cart, with Sirius practically on top of her.

"You could always sit on Jamsie's lap, Lily," suggested Sirius. In response to this unwelcome statement, Lily slammed the carriage door. Soon she spotted one of the last remaining carriages and hopped inside. It's only other occupant was a girl Lily had never seen before.

"Can I sit here?" she asked. The girl nodded. "I'm Lily Evans. Second year Gryffindor. You?"

"I'm English Cook. Fifth year Ravenclaw. Pleased to meet you," she said tucking a long strand of brown hair behind one ear. They sat in awkward silence for a while until English broke the ice.

"Were you one of those first years that kept pulling pranks on the Slytherins last year?" she wondered. Lily nodded, grinning.

"Yeah, I helped with those. So you've heard of us then?"

"Heard of you? It's hard not to, with you lot being called to the Headmasters office every week." Though her face was stern, there was a smile in her voice. Lily began to like her. Then she noticed something that would surely interfere with their relationship.

"Are you a prefect, then?" she asked worriedly, indicating the shining badge on her chest. English nodded.

"Don't worry about it, though. I only got the job because no one else wanted it. Oh look, we're here," they scrambled out of the carriage and walked into the Great Hall. Lily let out a sigh of relief. After only one year, this place felt more like home than her house ever had. English noticed.

"It's great to be back, isn't it? Well, I'd best be off! Goodbye Lily!" 

"Bye English! See you around!" and with that, they both walked off to their respective tables. Lily found her friends sitting at the far end of the table. 

"Who was that you were talking to?" James asked suspiciously.

"English Cook. She's a Ravenclaw prefect," Lily answered, plopping into a seat beside Peter.

"A prefect?" breathed Sirius, incredulous. "You were conversing with the _enemy_?" Lily had to laugh at the look of sincerity upon his face.

"It'll be fine…she's nice," Lily answered. She was spared further interrogation when the doors flew open, and a white-faced group of first years entered the hall, flanked by a great oaf named Hagrid, the gamekeeper's assistant. He marched them up to the front of the hall, where Professor McGonagall produced the Sorting Hat. They stared at it nervously, jumping when it broke into song. At the end, all the students applauded the cap, and watched the trembling first years get sorted. By the time the last child was sorted, the noise in the hall had almost been drowned out by the growling of Sirius's stomach.

Slowly, Dumbledore stood up from his place at the head of the hall, and said simply, "Eat." 

"Took then bloody long enough," Sirius managed to choke out around several legs of chicken. Lily just grinned and started on her mashed potatoes. The meal was wonderful; they spent the whole time talking about what was going on in the wizarding world. The boys got caught up in a heated argument about Quidditch, with Carolina tossing in the occasional snide remark, while chatting with Lily.

Lily could tell that Carolina was making small talk for her sake, trying to keep her mind of what had happened earlier that day, and she was glad. 

"I can't believe I actually cried in front of them," she thought, mentally slapping herself. "Now James has a good reason to torment me. He must think I'm an awful baby…wait…since when do I care what James thinks?" She shrugged and pushed the thought as far out of her mind as possible.  

(A/N) Hello to all my lovely, lovely reviewers! You guys are absolutely awesome! I'm sorry it took so long to get this dratted chappie up, and it's not one of my best, but I've had other things on my mind…such as report cards *shudder*. Can't wait til Spring Vacation…only 8 more days (I think) and counting! YES! I won't be able to write over the Break cause I'm going on a Disney Cruise with the whole family, but if I survive the trip, I promise I'll work hard to get some decent chappies out. I promise, this year is going to have a plot, and it's going to be good. Well, it'll be better than first year, I promise. And if y'all have any prank ideas, let me know. SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO DANI WHO DEVISED THE INVISIBLE TACK PRANK IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPPIE! You rock my sox dude! Well, I really hope y'all liked it, considering how it took me forever to write it, but this year has a twist…MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Hint: You'll see a bit more of Moldie Voldie. Reviewers- Amber- Thank you! Will Lily's dad live…you'll just have to keep reading to find out (I have it all planned out!) Musicizdbest- I win! YIPEE! Okay, whatever…um, by favorite book do you mean favorite Harry Potter book, or just book in general? I like the 2nd and 4th ones the best if you're talking about Harry, and I love pretty much all books, but I especially love the Sabriel series by Garth Nix and the Alanna series by Tamora Peirce and the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Collier and The Lord of the Rings (not to mention the movies!), and (of course) Harry Potter! You? Dani- Hey creepy separated brain! Whats up? I'm sorry about the Siri's mom thing, but they had to get them from somewhere! I LUV hot chocolate, but here in Hotlanta, we really don't need it (it's only cold for, like, two months out of the year and we barely ever get snow YARG!). I have also never understood Valentine's Day. We are celebrating the day St. Valentine was killed. I'm sure he appreciates it, but come on, he's DEAD! Yeah, I thought Siri would make a cute bunny too! Oh, before I forget, the hiccupping squid says Hi! Well, Lily's father has to die somehow…sorry. Fowl-Star- No way man, Remie is SO mine! So, what'll it be? Ravenclaw or Gryffindor? Personally, I can't decide which house I'd rather be in, but I'm not terribly clever so it'd probably be Gryffindor for me. Or Slytherin…okay, and no, my sisters are the root of all evil. They seem so sweet and innocent, until you find out they read your journal, and they listen to your conversations, and BLACKMAIL YOU! That's SO not my definition of sweet.

Keep reading! Luv yas! 


	12. Of Makeups, Breakups, and General Weirdn...

Disclaimer: It's not mine

Chapter Twelve: Of Make-ups, Break-ups, and General Weirdness

The first week back was as normal as a week can be at a school for witchcraft and wizardry. Lily finally beat Remus in chess, a feat Remus promised her she would never accomplish again. She stuck out her tongue at him, and he threw a chess piece at her, hitting her square on the nose. Consequentially, she turned his hair a putrid purple color, and bolted into her dorm before he could retaliate. She rushed, giggling, into the room and slammed the door shut, magically locking it before he could enter. Peyton looked up from her Charms homework.

"What did you do this time?" she asked, not really interested, just for an excuse to stop thinking so hard.

"Well, I beat Remus in chess for starters," Lily replied. Carolina popped out of the bathroom to grin at her.

"You? Beat Remus? You sure it wasn't Peter in disguise?" she chided. Lily threw her a warning glare, and continued.

"But then he said I could never do it again and I stuck my tongue out at him and he threw his bishop at me and I turned his hair purple," she said quickly. 

"Purple?" Peyton wondered. "I really don't think that would go over well with him." Lily giggled.

"That's the point, Peyton dear. Say, Lina, have you done your transfiguration homework yet?" 

"We had Transfiguration homework?" Carolina asked, walking back into the room. Lily sighed.

"So that's a no, right?" Carolina nodded, pulling off her socks.

"I can't believe you beat Remie at chess!" she exclaimed. "Hang on a minute…" 

"What?" Lily asked utterly confused.

"Are you sure he didn't…let you win?" she asked. Lily was appalled.

"Now why on earth would he do something like that Lina?" Peyton caught on to what Carolina was thinking.

"You mean…?" she gasped. And Carolina nodded.

"What do you two know that I don't?!?" Lily exploded, furious.

"Lily, have you ever wondered why Remus is so nice to you? Or why let you cry on his shoulder-?" Carolina was cut off.

"He let her cry on his shoulder? Oh, he's got it bad!" giggled Peyton, gleefully.

"He's got what? Will you two stop it?" Lily was beginning to get exasperated. Carolina sighed. Lily could be so clueless sometimes.

"Lily, so I have to spell it out? Remus likes you," she said.

"What?" Lily was taken aback. Carolina sighed.

"Remie…likes…you…" she said slowly, pronouncing each word correctly.

"Yeah, whatever. So, did you get the Potions notes? I wasn't listening…" Lily fluidly changed the subject, trying to get away from what couldn't be true. At home, none of the boys would take a second glance at her or a first glance if it comes to that. Petunia attracted all the attention, casting a shadow over Lily. Lily just wasn't a people person in the way that Petunia was. 

Carolina shrugged, and acknowledged that Lily just wanted to drop it. Peyton wasn't ready to just yet, but that stopped when Taryn walked giggling into the room.

"Have you seen Remus's hair?" she choked out. Lily groaned and buried her head in a pillow. 

The next morning was going perfectly well for Lily, until Professor Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement at breakfast. 

"I have something to say," he said, in his calm raspy voice. Everyone quieted down immediately. Dumbledore had that effect on people. "Thank you. Now, as most of you out there have found out already, Second years and above are allowed to participate in the House Quidditch Cup. The tryouts for teams that need them will be held in two days time. Please contact your house's team captain immediately if you wish to try out. You may resume your meal." As soon as he finished speaking, there was a definite up swing in the level of noise in the Great Hall. James was practically jumping up and down.

"Finally! I've been practicing all summer for this!"

"You really think you have a shot at it, Potter?" Lily asked. "Some of those older kids looked pretty good…" James threw her a glare full of contempt that he hadn't given her since they were enemies.

"Shut up Evans. Just shut up," he fumed. He tossed another scornful glance in her direction, but they could see that he was genuinely hurt. Lily was frozen in an attitude of stunned confusion. Sirius shook his head.

"Now you've done it. We're back to square one on you two…he'll never forgive you that one."

"Well I didn't think he would go all ballistic on me," Lily defended. "I was just kidding…it's not my fault he got so touchy about it. Stupid Pot-head." She angrily got up from the table, considering her meal ruined. 

Remus put his head in his hands. "What're we going to do? It'll be just like last year," he sighed. Sirius shrugged.

"Why don't we let them battle it out?" suggested Peter. "If worse comes to worse, one of them will kill the other, and then they'll go to Azkaban so we wont have to put up with them anymore." Everyone laughed at his suggestion, glad that he had lightened the mood. They all finished their breakfast and headed off to their History of Magic class. When they arrived in the classroom, most everyone was already there, Lily and James purposely sitting as far apart as the room would allow.

"We'll take Jamie, you go after the Lily-flower," said Sirius. Carolina nodded, and went to sit next to Lily.

"Hey Lily," she said. Lily turned around.

"Oh, hey," Lily answered. Their conversation was cut short when Professor Binns floated into the room and began to talk, driving them all into a stupor. Carolina had to do something before she died of boredom, or did something stupid, so ripped up a piece of parchment and began a note to Lily.

Hey Lils. Listen, don't take what James said literally, he was peeved. C'mon, please can we not go back to what last year was like. I mean, eventually someone's going to die, or we'll run out of spells. Please just call it quits?

She gracefully flicked it onto Lily's desk with practiced ease. Lily quickly scanned the letter, and wrote back.

Why shouldn't I get peeved at Potter? I was just kidding and he flipped out. Again. Do you sense a pattern here, cause I do. He is the biggest egotistical jerk I've ever met. He's bloody GREAT at Quidditch and I don't know why he's obsessing. Have I mentioned that I was JUST KIDDING and he keeps taking it the wrong way? Honestly, his head is so filled with Quidditch crap and dust that I'm surprised he can remember our bloody names.

Carolina smiled as she wrote a reply.

Whoa there Lily. 'He's bloody GREAT at Quidditch'? Did you just complement Snotty Potty? Things are getting serious (no pun intended) here! Do you still want to be friends with the 'air headed jerk'? Because if you do then just APOLOGIZE for Christ's sake! And if you don't then don't make everyone ELSE's life miserable by feuding and attacking innocent bystanders, okay?

Her reply:

Lina-Snotty Potty? That's a good one, thanks. I'm sure he'll appreciate it. And no I didn't complement him. Well, maybe I did, but it was very unintentional. Apologize? No thank you grandmother! Only in his dreams would I EVER do something like that.

By the time they had finished the class had ended and they were heading to Charms. Carolina left Lily to walk with Sirius, Remus, and Peter. They had obviously had a written conversation as well, and compared notes. The boys' went like this:

**James, what's up with you and Lily. I think she was just kidding. (That was Sirius's unruly scrawl.)**

Siriusly (pun intended) man, give her a chance. She's nice. (Remus's neat cursive made Sirius's handwriting look like chicken scratch.)

You don't have to be friends, just don't hurt anyone else! (That was Peter's loopy writing.)

BACK OFF! Siri-you think she was just kidding. That doesn't help, because in order to think, you need something resembling a brain (which you lack). Remie-you're just saying she's nice because you LIKE her. Petey-how many times can I say sorry about the leg-locker hex! I was honestly aiming for Lily! (James had obviously written this one.)

**I do to have a brane. So  there. **

I DON'T LIKE LILY!

That's okay. I had already forgotten about the leg-locker thing. I was talking about the green hair…

BRAIN, Siri. You spell it BRAIN...and you call yourself a Gryffindor. Remie, come ON! Everyone knows you like her. It's obvious. Oops. Sorry Peter. STOP GANGING UP ON ME! 

**James, stop bagging on our poor lil wolfie. Just because he helps her with homework and gives her the answers and lets her win at chess and cry on his shoulder doesn't mean he LIKES her likes her. Jeez. And was that Gryffindor thing a shot?**

Siri, that didn't help my case. And actually James, what else could Siri be? Ravenclaw *snort*? They're known for CLEVERNESS, something our lil' moron here doesn't posses. Hufflepuff? Could you imagine Siri being loyal and hard working? Umm…NO! Or perhaps you were referring to Slytherin. Might I remind you that we hate Slytherins and they are the root of all evil? No, Siri is just right for Gryffindor (he's full of reckless stupidity that the Sorting Hat probably mistook for bravery…)

That's okay, really. But guys, we're getting side tracked. JAMES, APOLOGIZE TO LILY OR WE"LL HEX YOU BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH THAT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carolina laughed out loud. As they entered the large Charms classroom, Carolina moved to sit next to James, while the boys took Lily this time.

"Hey James," said Carolina. He looked up at her, not really caring. 

"Oh, hey," he replied, going back to his last minute studying for a Freezing Charm quiz.

"So, d'you think you're ready for those Quidditch tryouts?" she asked, deperate to hold a conversation with him. James head shot up at the mention of his all-time-favorite-to-the-point-of-obsession-sport. 

"I sure hope so," he said animatedly. "I hope the seeker spot's open, though I can be a decent chaser. What're you going out for again?"

"Keeper. Who's the captain this year?"

"Not sure-I know that Madame Hooch was the captain two years ago, but she graduated…" He trailed off as Professor Flitwick floated into the room on a small hovering pillow (A/N I WANT ONE!). They continued whispering about Quidditch as the entire class lined up at the front of the room and the professor watched them freeze an extremely annoyed firefly. Everyone was successful. In fact, Lily was so successful that the poor firefly fell out of the air and lay motionless on the ground for several minutes before the professor could remember the counter charm. At lunch, the peaceful members of the group took at last desperate stand. They forcefully pushed a struggling Lily and James into spots on the bench right next to each other. They tried to get up and move, but they couldn't.

"You have just sat down on liberal amounts of Sticking Potion. It will not release you until I pour the Unsticking Potion on it," Sirius said gleefully, waving a small vial of amethyst liquid in his friends scarlet faces.

"And," Carolina continued, snatching the potion from Sirius, "we will not give you the potion, until you have resolved your differences. We are prepared to skip class for this."

"Or at least prepared to let you skip class for this," Remus added, apologetically. The four friends stood staring at Lily and James. Neither would look at the other of even acknowledge the others existence. Carolina sighed.

"Jesus Christ you two!" she exploded, drawing far too much attention to herself in the crowded Great Hall. "James, here's the letter Lily and I were writing in History of Magic. Lily, here's the letter James and them were writing during History. Read them." Her voice was significantly lowered has she whipped the crushed notes out of her pockets and handed them to the respective person. Remus let out a strangled cry that he hastily turned into a hacking cough as Lily began to read her letter. James finished first.

"Bloody great at Quidditch, Evan?" he asked. Lily was surprised to hear no hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Well that's what I wrote isn't it?" she answered quietly, folding the boys' note into an aerodynamically correct paper airplane. James was taken aback. He had expected a smarting retort at the least. 

"Fine," he sighed. "Friends?" he held out his hand, and Lily shook it, mock seriously.

"Friends," she replied, sincerely. Sirius let out a sigh of relief, and Carolina collapsed into the seat next to Lily. 

"Oh thank God," she murmured. Remus nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. 

"Hey, it's time for Herbology," interjected Peter, glancing at his watch. Lily struggled against the potion, almost tearing her skirt in the process.

"All right Siri, let us go," she deadpanned.

"No," he said simply, and ran away as fast as he could. The others giggled and followed their insane friend, leaving a flabbergasted Lily and James starring after them.

"He is so dead," growled James menacingly. Lily nodded emphatically, already planning what she would to him.

"Blue skin," she muttered.

"With green and silver hair," James added.

"Red teeth," said Lily.

"Long pink finger nails."

"Bunny ears."

"SLIME!" That they said simultaneously. They looked at each other and grinned. 

"Hang on," James gasped in mock horror. "Evans, did we just have a civilized conversation?" Lily clasped both hands over her mouth in a look of genuine terror.

"We'll never hear the end of it!" Now she placed one hand on her forehead in a dramatic sweeping gesture. This time, James cracked up laughing, and his laugh was so infectious that Lily had to laugh as well. 

A good time later, several house elves walked in to do a final polishing of the floors before the night meal to find two students sitting on a bench. Shermy, the boldest of all the current house elves walked slowly up to the two big people.

"Excuse me sir and miss," he squeaked loudly, trying to get their attention. 

"Hello there," said Lily.

"Um, if yous would pardon little Shermy for asking, what is you twos doing still in here?" Made bolder by Lily's kind response, Shermy became curious. James got an idea.

"Shermy, would you please do us a favor?" Shermy jumped at his polite tone. 

"Sir, t'would be an honor," he said bowing low. 

"Could you please go into Professor Centia's classroom for me? There wont be a class there, I'm sure of it. All you have to do is get a vile of purplish liquid from his cupboard and bring it back here." Shermy happily raced off and was back in minutes with a small glass of Unsticking Potion. Lily sighed with relief as she stood up for the first time in hours, massaging her cramped muscles. James followed suit, and they praised Shermy, who blushed turning his green skin an odd brownish color. The soon left the hall and walked up the Common Room planning revenge.

"They wont be out of class for another ten minutes," said Lily. "So that should give up plenty of time to set up." They got to work, and when Carolina, Remus, Sirius, and Peter walked in approximately eleven minutes later, they never knew what hit them. As they were covered in slime from a bucket above the doorway, Lily and James hit them with as many curses and hexes as they could remember easily dodging the poor ones their friends threw in self defense. In a few minutes the battle was over: Lily and James had won convincingly. Each friend was covered in a mixture of orange and green slime, Sirius had blue skin and pink nails, Carolina had a bunny tail, Peter had red teeth, Remus had angry purple boils sprouting on his skin (James's hair hex had gone wrong), and Lily and James were rocking with laughter, tears of mirth spilling down their cheeks. 

The other four were just standing motionless in the door, gaping at their two friends, trying to regain their senses. Carolina was the first one to really get a grip on the situation. She sighed and cast a hasty cleaning charm, tenderly examining her new attachment 

"This piece of shit had better be gone by tryouts," she muttered crossly. "How will I sit on the broom?" Remus reacted next, tentatively poking a new boil, and grimacing. 

"I'll be off to the Hospital Wing then," he sighed, and turned to walk out of the room, but stopped when he saw Sirius and Peter. He stared at them for a moment, and began to laugh uncontrollably. Everyone joined in when they got a look at themselves, and soon they were cracking up, all animosity forgotten. 

"So, did we miss anything important in class?" questioned Lily, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Nah," said Carolina. "Just a load of baloney from Metus, and another werewolf story from Necare. Remus started sneezing and getting all red and blotchy when he passed one of the silver bullets around the room to show us what it was like."

"He looked at me real funny," added Remus. "I think Dumbledore told all of the Professors what I was, but I'm not sure…" He trailed off, not able to conceal the worried tone in his voice.

"Not to worry, Remie," said Peter. "He attacks you, we'll-" 

"Kick his ass?" suggested Sirius.

"In a major way," Lily affirmed. Remus gave them all a huge smile.

"Now, down to business," said Sirius, "how do we get this shit off us?" Here Lily had to add a triumphant giggle to punctuate his remark. The spells were set to wear off in several hours-after dinner no less. Sirius would have to go, because nothing could stop his stomach.

After she explained, and the four were spluttering with anger, she sighed happily. 

"I love being evil."

(A/N) Hey y'all! I've gotta do this fast because my little sister needs to get on the computer (ARGH!)…so on to the thank yous—Amber-Yupperoni, finally updated! I wish this chappie were longer, but a lot happens next chapter. And the next chapter. In the future you can expect a bit more about dear old Voldie, pranks, and Quidditch! What will happen to Lily's father? Tune in next week…fairypixie3-well, they have to start liking one another eventually (that wont actually happen for a while…I've got it all worked out) Musicizdbest- The Sword of Truth? What's that about? I love the Chronicles of Narnia, though I found Redwall to be slightly boring (sorry). Okay, Artemis Fowl is about this criminal master mind who happens to be a twelve year old boy. He has discovered that fairies do exist and is trying to exploit them for their gold. It's actually much better than I made it sound. The Alanna books are about this girl who wants to become a knight so she hides her sex for eight years and has loads of great adventures. Lord of the Rings…let's see. Small hairy footed hobbits go on a quest to destroy and incredibly evil ring…they are joined by one HOT elf, a comic relief dwarf, an evil dude, and a mangy hero who happens to be in love with an elf…Sabriel is about this girl who is an Abhorsen. It's her job to keep necromancers from raising dead souls and conquering the Old Kingdom and Ancelstiere. Turst me, they're all great books, I just suck at summaries. Fowl-Star-ANY boat with MY ENTIRE FAMILY on it can be rightly considered a disaster area and a danger to ALL HUMAN LIFE! That's a god idea about the journal…I must look into this dryer sheet thing…well, I'd just like to keep mine one BIG story, so I'm going to keep writing on this one. Dani-well, I think YOU got the smart half of the brain. Congrats on the Local Gifted Program thing, that's GREAT! I don't know why Lily's so musical, it seems kinda fitting…who knows? Well, I know Lily's dad is going to die (No offense dude!), but he doesn't necessarily have to die of Leukemia (HINT HINT)…okay, I'll scratch the noose references…that would be distressing. And prefects aren't necessarily bad, it's just that at the time Sirius has to view them as the enemy because he always gets in trouble…and why DOES Lily care what James thinks? The world will never know…


	13. Of Quidditch

Disclaimer: I (most likely) do not own the following story

Chapter Thirteen: Of Quidditch

The next day went by so slowly that James felt he could have walked to the nearest town and back before a minute had passed. But, eventually, tomorrow came like tomorrow often does. James couldn't pay attention in any of his classes; he was too busy going over every skill, rule, detail, any _anything_ that he could remember about Quidditch. After the last class of the day he, Sirius, Carolina, and Peter (who had decided to tryout 'just for the heck of it') bolted up to their rooms to change into their Quidditch robes. Seven o'clock just couldn't come fast enough, but when it finally arrived on the scene, it found the Gryffindor captain, Artemis Wood, pacing back and forth in front of twenty three hopeful second through seventh years.

"All right you lot," he began at precisely seven, "this team has won the past two years, and that is a winning streak I intended to extend. If you are not prepared to work your hardest every second the team needs you, you might as well walk back up to Gryffindor tower." Faces began to pale as they realized this guy meant business. A few people back up a few steps, but none left outright. Seeing that no one was going to give him more of a reaction than that, Wood continued.

"There are only a few spots open on the team. We already have a beater, a keeper, and two chasers. If you don't make the team this year, tryout next year, because we'll be loosing two of them, three if one keeps his grades up. Now, separate into four groups. Chaser wannabes, by the far goals." Seven of their number (including Peter) left for the long march down the field. "Beaters, by the stands over there." Sirius gave James an encouraging nod and winked at Carolina as he followed five others to the indicated spot. "Seekers, head to the center of the pitch." James walked off with five others, leaving four students behind with Wood. 

"Hallo!" said a cheerful voice. It was Katarina Reynolds, one of the remaining chasers. "Since we don't have a seeker, I'll be watching you tryout and choosing who makes the team. I don't accept bribes, so just don't think about it. One person will be our A team seeker, and the second best will be backup in case our first seeker dies, is injured, etcetera. Who wants to go first?" No one moved, but then a burly fifth year moved forward.

"I will," he said in a deep voice.   
            "Alright then," agreed Katarina. "Mount up. I'll throw little balls at you, and catch as many as you can." The fifth year nodded, and flew up into the air. James watched, holding his breath. In order to make the team at all he had to be better than four of these people beside him. The fifth year was good, but his weak point was his left side. He caught seventeen out of twenty though, and when they came back to the ground Katarina was nodding in approval. She wrote something down on a little scrap of parchment and tucked it down the front of her robes.

"Who's next?" she asked. James raised a shaky hand.

"I'll go," he said, wishing his voice didn't squeak so much. Katarina gave him an encouraging smile, and shot off into the air. James followed suit, and prepared himself. When Katarina saw he was settled, she began pegging Muggle golf balls this way and that. He dodged through them carefully, using all of the skills he had to catch as many as possible and drop them to the ground when he did, ready for the next one. As time went on, he lost count of how many he had caught, and was surprised when Katarina ran out of balls. "How many did I get?" he asked wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"You caught seventeen," she replied. James mentally slapped himself. Why didn't he just catch one more bloody ball? Now he was tied for first, and there were still four more students to tryout. 

In the end, three people were tied for first, James, the fifth year, and a third year.

"Thanks for coming out," Katarina was addressing the three who didn't make the first cut, "try again next year all right?" They nodded dejectedly, and quietly made their way down the field, downtrodden and upset. "Now, as for you," Katarina turned back to James and the others, "you're all just as good as each other at catching, now we're going to look at your speed. On my whistle, you're going to do two laps around the pitch as fast as you can. On your mark…Get set…TWEET!" The piercing whistle ripped through the air as the three competitors swarmed into the air, trying to get a convincing lead over the others. James had a good kickoff, and was soon tearing through the air in front of the others. Then the third year bent low over her broom and swept ahead, nearly knocking James off of his Shooting Star. While he wobbled around trying to regain control, the fifth year passed him as well.

James wanted to shout at himself. Never wobble like that, and don't let them pass you! He came back fast, twisting almost sideways through a sharp curve, and thereby pulling ahead of the fifth year. 

Only one lap left, James thought. But that girl is too far ahead! He bowed low over the broom handle, becoming as aerodynamic as possible. The broom surged through the air as though it felt James's need for speed. As they entered the final stretch the fifth year was definitely down for the count. Now it was just between the girl and James. Every second James was closing the gap a little bit more, but every second the girl was getting closer to the finish line. I can't loose this now! James thought wildly. He willed his broom to go faster, wanting it with every fiber in his body. He was neck and neck with the girl now, five yards away from where Katarina was standing. James closed his eyes and flew his hardest. Only when he heard a distant cheer did he look up. Katarina was below him, and the girl was behind him. He sank happily to the ground.

"Excellent flight, Potter," she said. "Jessie, you were amazing, but he beat you by two seconds." She turned concernedly to the girl beside her.

"Hey no hard feelings," she said quietly. "Great race Potter." There was something strange about her voice, but James couldn't quite put his finger on it. He forgot that when she held out her pale hand, and James shook it, surprised at how fragile she seemed on the ground compared to the fierce competitor she was in the air. Jessie caught him staring, and he blushed.

"And you," he replied. Katarina smiled, and wrapped and arm around his sweaty shoulders.

"Welcome to the team, Potter," she said, tussling his already messy hair. James grinned so wide he felt his mouth would stretch off his face, but he didn't care. He had made the team. He and Katarina walked over to where Wood was standing in the middle of the pitch.

"Hey Wood," she called out, waving energetically. "I've got you a Seeker!" Wood smiled. 

"Congratulations, James. Here comes the rest of the team now. I believe you know Sirius?" James looked around to see a happy Sirius running up the pitch, hopping up and down, and singing.

"I made it, I made it, I made it, I made it…" James grinned. 

"Alright you lot," Wood began, once they were all here. Everyone say your name and your year and your position. You'll be stuck together for most of the year, so get used to one another. I'm Artemis Wood, Sixth year, Keeper."

"I'm Barry Hudson, Fourth year, Beater."

"Sirius Black, Second year, Beater."

"Katarina Reynolds, Seventh year, Chaser."

"James Potter, Second year, Seeker."

"Bethany Pierson, Seventh year, Chaser."

"Jason Smith, Seventh year, Chaser." 

"All right," said Wood. "Our B team includes Carolina Richardson as a Keeper, Jessie Windham as a Seeker…" Wood continued talking, but James wasn't paying attention. He had made the team. He had done something he had wanted to do since he was a boy. He was a seeker. When Wood finished talking, he and Sirius turned to leave, and ran smack into Carolina.

"You guys made the team? That's AWESOME!" she was genuinely happy for them, though they could tell that her voice held a trace of self pity. Sirius and James each threw an arm around her shoulder.

"Hey, you made B team! That's great. And when Wood leaves in two years, you're sure to make the team," James said, trying to console her.

"Yeah, I guess. Has anyone seen Peter?" she asked. The boys shook their heads and scanned the fields. 

"I don't see him anywhere. C'mon, he's probably back up in the Common Room." Sirius was as giddy as a toddler with a lollypop, skipping the whole way up to castle, occasionally bursting into song.

"I made it, I made it, I made it, I made it…" When the ecstatic trio reached the common room, Remus and Lily were waiting expectantly by the Portrait Hole.

"Well…?" asked Lily. James and Sirius simultaneously burst into song, and Sirius grabbed Lily's hands and hopped around with her in an obscure sort of victory dance. Remus and Carolina watched, one with an eyebrow raised and a grin, the other with a smile that seemed a bit like a grimace. When Lily finally got Sirius to stop, she looked at Carolina while trying to get a grip on her unruly hair. Carolina shrugged.

"Wood's the Keeper. I'm the B team Keeper, though!" She tried to keep a happy tone in her voice, but Lily could tell that she wasn't terribly happy with her self. Lily gave her best friend a one-armed hug around the shoulders.

"Hey, where's Peter?" wondered Remus. Sirius stopped bouncing.

"We thought he already came up here. He didn't make the team so we figured he had left…" Sirius sounded worried, and he had a reason to. Peter wasn't the quickest of the lot. He was smart, it just took him awhile to get where he was going, or to react. If a bunch of pissed Slytherins found him…

Just when they were about to set off looking for him, Peter himself burst through the Portrait Hole.

"Hallo there," he said, face flushed and blonde hair falling lightly in his watery eyes.

"Peter where were you?" asked Lily, concerned.

"Oh, around," he said vaguely. "Nowhere important. Sirius, James, congratulations. I heard you made the team! That's brilliant." If any of them noticed the sudden change in the subject, they didn't mention it. They were just happy that Peter had made it back.

"Not that they cared," he thought dejectedly. " 'Let's just go on up to the Common Room and forget all about Peter. He's not even good enough to make the team…" But he did notice that Carolina hadn't made it either, and it made him the slightest bit happier in a guilty sort of way. He sighed.

"I'm beat," he announced loudly. "Anyone for sleep?" Carolina, Sirius, and James nodded, and stumbled up the stairs to their respective dorm, wiped out from the tryouts.

"So, Lily, up for another game of chess?" Remus asked.

"Do you never tire of that game?" Lily wondered.

"Well..."

"You only like playing with me cause you beat me all the time," she accused. Remus shook his head.

"No. Well, okay, sort of." Here Lily went after him with a pillow, an attack he easily deflected. "Back off Lily, only joking! I enjoy your company, that's all." Lily noticed that Remus had a weird look on his face, and she didn't like that look on him. He was studying her too closely.

She sighed. "Sorry Remie, maybe some other night. I think Carolina needs a friend right now…" Remus nodded, tucking his weird look behind his normal mask of obscured normalcy. She sighed again and jogged up the stairs to the dorm.

Taryn was on her bed finishing Defense homework. "Lily, how many ways are there to kill a Gargantuan Whimbarg?"

"Erm…thirty-seven, I think," Lily said.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Where's Carolina?"

"I think she's taking a shower." Lily nodded and flopped onto her bed, picking up The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

"Haven't you already read that?" asked Carolina. She was walking out of the bathroom with her pajamas on and a towel on her head. Lily nodded.

"At least a hundred times. Are you okay?" 

"Okay about what?" Carolina feigned ignorance, toweling her hair dry. When she finished, her hair remained straight for two seconds, and then defiantly poofed out to its normal state of curly chaos. 

"Damn," Carolina muttered, yanking it back into a scrunchie. Lily put her book down on the table, leaving it open to page 67, and sat cross legged on her best friend's bed.

"Seriously, are you okay? You had that look on your face down there, and-" 

"What look?" Carolina asked, sitting across from Lily.

"Erm, how do I describe it…kinda like your restraining yourself from hurting something?" Carolina laughed.

"Oh you mean that look. Mum calls it my 'kick ass' look." Lily giggled. If her mum had ever said that, Lily would have died of shock. "Yeah, I guess I'm okay…I just really really really wanted to make it, but I guess Artemis or whatever is a ton better than I am."

"No he's not. He's just older. Trust me. One day you'll get to be Keeper, and you'll be better than Artemis ever was."

"Thanks," Carolina said softly. She looked over at Taryn and Peyton, who had just walked in the room a few seconds before. "Anyone for poker?" 

(A/N) Howdy! I just love Quidditch, don't you? Friendly reminder: I am going on Spring Break starting Thursday, so I won't be able to update for awhile. Sorry! Fowl-Star—Brittany, I need a description of you (no, I'm not a stalker-just hair color or something.) cause I'm going to need a prefect in my next chappie, so it might as well be you (If you want, I'll have Remus comment on how smart you are or your beauty or something…;*) by the way, Mickey Mouse says Hi! Elfmoon87- I know the feeling (about homework). It just never stops. I think the teachers enjoy watching us suffer. Fluffy the Teddy Bear Slayer- what? Keily- *shudder* don't remind me. I didn't mean to keep switching them, but one of them was too close to her real last name (plus I didn't like it) so I had to change it, and I didn't catch all of them. Sorry :*(  Avebury- I'll try. About the camp thing-you are going to help me write it! I'll write it at camp, mail it to you, you can type it and upload it. Simple as pie (I like pie). How was your vacation roping cattle? Mine was slightly on the boring side…oh well. I got to swim with sting rays though! And pet them and everything. It was very super cool. The twin bratz were freaked out the WHOLE time! It was great! Dani- Hey Braney! I'm sorry that I haven't read the story yet! I will, I promise, it's just that I'm not technically allowed to go on fanfiction, so that presents a minor problem. I will read it as soon as I can, though! Yes, I wanted someone to beat Remus at chess (though I think he let her win…not sure yet…). Please don't boycott my story! PLEASE! I have to keep making fun of Siri! It's so fun ((ouch! Siri, don't hit me! Jeez, you're so touchy!))…and yet I think that that my boyfriend can't talk to me b/c he's in a cult line is most definitely the weirdest thing I've ever heard…except maybe Octopus's Garden by the Beatles (I'd like to be…under the sea…in an octopus's garden…in the shade)…


	14. Of Lovesick Jameses and Macaroni

Disclaimer: If you can read it, it's not mine. If you can't read it…well, then there's really no point in writing this, is there?

Chapter Fourteen: Of lovesick Jamses and Macaroni

The following day (Saturday) went from bad to worse. Not only was it raining, there was a leak in the boys' dormitory, directly above James's head. He woke up at five thirty, but the constant drip-dripping of the water was gnawing into his brain. 

"Now I know why they call it Water Torture," he muttered inaudibly, rolling to the floor with a loud bang. No one woke up, though Remus rolled over, and Sirius murmured something about evil bunny rabbits. James just shook his head and got dressed. Before he left the room he placed Sirius's hand in a pot of warm water, drew an ink mustache on Remus's face, and replaced Peter's pillow with a rock. He sighed contentedly and walked down to the Common Room. Jessie was there doing last minute homework by the fireside, but no one else was awake yet.

"Hey Jessie," he said quietly. She turned abruptly, dropping her quill in surprise.

"Oh, hey James." She picked up her quill and pushed a lock of smoky gray hair behind one ear. She smiled at him, wrinkling up her freckled nose. "I didn't mean to jump, I just wasn't expecting anyone down here. I'm usually the only one up this early…I'm from America and are time zones are warped." James smiled and made a mental note. Duh! That's why she had a wacked accent!

"I was wondering where your accent was from," he said. "When did you move here?"

"Oh, I lived in Atlanta, Georgia before, and Dad got transferred here a month or so ago. I got into Hogwarts on a reference from my old school." James nodded.

"What does your dad do?" he asked. He was beginning to ask random questions, just because he liked the mellifluous sound of her voice.

"Not sure really," she said. "Something with computers I think…" James nodded. They sat in awkward silence for awhile, her scratching away with her quill.

"Damn," she whispered as she broke the point again. "Accio pen!" Suddenly a black ballpoint came rocketing through the air, caught expertly by Jessie. She saw James looking at it and smiled. "Don't know why wizards use quills. Annoying as hell if you ask me." He flashed her a grin and she resumed working on her homework. Soon a bloodcurdling shriek pierced the calm morning air. James and Jessie jumped, snapping to attention. 

"What in hell do you think that was?" asked Jessie. James grimaced.

"Well, I think I had something to do with it," he began, but was cut off when a loud voice bellowed his name. "Yeah, that's my cue. I'd better go stop him before he wakes the entire castle."

"I think it's too late for that, James," Jessie whispered pointing over his shoulder. He whirled around to find himself face to face with an extremely pissed off Sirius. 

"Erm…Hallo. Have a good sleep?" Unfortunately Sirius was in no mood for jokes, and he grabbed the back of James's robes dragging him up the stairs into the dorm where Peter and Remus were assessing the damage. When James was thrown into the room, they surrounded him and began a shouting match.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT FOR?"

"DO YOU THINK THAT WAS FUNNY?"  
            "I CAN'T FEEL MY 'EAD!" 

"YOU'D BETTER PRAY THE HOUSE ELVES CLEAN TODAY, POTTER!"

"YOU'D BETTER PRAY THIS SHIT COMES OFF MY FACE!"

"YOU'D BETTER PRAY I REGAIN SENSATION IN MY NECK!"

James grinned sheepishly. "Well don't all thank me at once." 

"AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" All three boys began bellowing and pounding James with a mix of pillows and the odd hex. Carolina and Lily poked their heads in the door, took one look around, and ran away. Then a sixth year prefect burst into the room and yelled 'IMOBILARIBUS'. A pillow hung motionless in the air. The boys found it extremely hard to move, like the air was condensing around them. James was cowering in a fetal position, the others standing with arms raised in vicious battle. The prefect cast an amused eye around the room.

"Now I wouldn't normally interfere with matters like this, but if you're going to wake up the whole bloody house, I decided I had better step in. So SHUT UP!" She lifted her wand and the spell broke, sending the boys crashing to the ground with all the extra energy they had built up while trying to fend off the spell. The girl somehow managed to keep a straight face, but her eyes were dancing. The boys stood up, groaning and rubbing sore joints. The girl did laugh, however, when she saw Remus's mustache. He blushed, and tried to hide it which only succeeded in making the girl laugh harder.

"Sorry," she giggled. The boys glared at her. "And don't look at me like that! You should be praising me."

"Why?" Sirius rudely countered.

"All right, would you rather have me after you, or the whole of Gryffindor after you?" The boys remained silent. "That's what I thought." She turned briskly, high ponytail flouncing tantalizingly behind her. Peter walked over to the door and slammed it shut.

"Spoil sport," he muttered, massaging his neck gently. Breakfast was a quiet affair. Remus and Peter were in the Hospital Wing, for a scouring charm and pain killer respectively. James was bleary-eyed, often sneaking side-long glances in Jessie's direction, and Sirius was still sore about the whole bed-wetting incident. Lily and Carolina had noticed the boys' bad moods, and had decided to sit elsewhere. Lily went over to the Ravenclaw table to talk to English.

"Hey Lily," English said as she plopped down next to her. "What's up?" She pushed aside a platter of bagels to make room for Lily to prop her elbows up.

"Not much," said Lily. "Just felt like having a chat with someone sane for a bit." English laughed, and was about to reply when Dumbledore stood up.

"Excuse me," he said quietly, catching everyone's attention immediately (excepting some of our favorite Slytherins). "Sorry to disrupt your breakfast, but something is wrong. A certain boy, Oliver Holmes, should be sitting at this table today." He indicated the Hufflepuff table with one graceful sweep of his hand. "But he is not. He has now been missing for three days, and it has just been brought to my attention. If anyone knows anything about the whereabouts of this third year student, please contact myself or any of my colleagues. Thank you." These words sent a tidal wave of noise crashing down over the students. Everyone was exchanging worried glances and speculations of where Oliver could be. 

"Well this is new," English said quietly. "Nothing like this has ever happened before. I wonder what he'll do about it." Lily nodded mutely. English could tell that she was upset, and gave her a friendly smile. "Well, I'd better be off. Potions first class and Professor Centia hates me."

"Bye then," Lily said hastily, standing up. They exchanged farewell waves and walked off in separate directions. She caught Carolina's eye and jerked her head toward the entrance hall. Carolina nodded and excused herself from the table. They met in the hall.

"What's up?" she inquired.

"Oh, nothing much," said Lily. "But that thing about the Oliver kid isn't at all good. English said that a student had never gone missing before and-"

"Lily, shut up," instructed Carolina. "He probably just got lost in the Forbidden Forest, or maybe he's just playing a brilliant joke or something."

"Lina, it has to be serious," Lily said beginning to walk down the hall towards Transfiguration. "Otherwise he wouldn't have told the whole school. And the professors looked worried. Well, all except for Centia, but he's just evil, and that's not the point. The point is-"

"That you are overreacting and he'll be fine. Calm down." Lily sighed.

"Whatever," she muttered.

That lesson proved to be quite interesting. McGonagall taught (or tried to teach) them how to transfigure (or rearrange) the air to make it appear as though there was a door or wall there. There is an opposite spell to make walls look like empty space, but she deemed it to complex for such an incompetent class. This was partly because of Peter's terrific job in accidentally vanishing the stool that McGonagall was sitting on, so that their extremely refined teacher ended up on the floor, robes and hat askew. The class had a hidden giggle fit while she tried to pull herself up. But it was mainly because she said that to every class, every year.

"She enjoys it," grumbled Sirius. He was massaging a sore hand where the stingy professor had whapped him with a long stick when he had 'accidentally' knocked her desk over, spilling mountains of paper to the floor. They all had to agree. Then, in Potions, Centia spent the whole time criticizing Lily's Scouring Solution. She was so distracted that her supposedly green potion had turned a putrid purple color. Remus tried to help, but was given a detention when Centia spotted him.

"Bloody bastard," Lily muttered on their way out the door. "Wouldn't be surprised if he had just killed off that Oliver kid for fun."

"Sure he's evil, but he's not _evil," consoled Taryn. "Be reasonable."_

"Taryn, evil doesn't do him justice. Try malicious student hating pain in the arse." They laughed outright, until-

"I'm glad to hear you think so highly of me, Ms. Evans." Lily choked on a laugh and whirled around to see Professor Centia gliding along behind them. "Since you are so appreciative of my teaching methods, you surely won't mind joining me for a little detention tomorrow afternoon?" It was phrased as a question, but Lily knew a command when she heard one.

"Of course, Professor," she spat out, furious with her self. She could she that Carolina was ready to burst out laughing, and that Taryn was struggling to contain her amusement. Lily glowered at them as Centia swooped away, his pale face wearing the lightest trace of a smile. As soon as he turned the corner-

"You-should-have-seen-your-face!" Carolina choked out around her laughter. "It was priceless!" Even Taryn let loose a refined giggle.

"Silentio!" Lily muttered. Carolina lost her voice, and Taryn stopped laughing. "Well, I'm off to lunch!" Lily said far too cheerfully. She gave them a jaunty wave, and bounced off towards the Great Hall. When she got there she sat down next to Sirius.

"What took you so long?" he asked though a mouthful of corned beef. 

"Don't ask," said Lily sullenly. Then she noticed that James wasn't eating. "What's up with him?" she asked Sirius carelessly waving a fork in James's general direction.

"Oh that," Sirius said, swallowing loudly. "Out Jamsie here's got a crush." Lily giggled.

"You serious?" she wondered, not catching her mistake until it was far too late.

"Well, of COURSE I'm Sirius!" He practically shouted this to the whole hall. Everyone went silent for a moment, and then there was a titter of laughter, and talk resumed.

"Shut up Siri. I meant about our drooling boy over there." Sirius nodded.

"Dead serious actually."

"So, who's the poor object of his affection?" Lily wondered.

"Some third year I think. She's the B string seeker. And pretty damn hot if you ask me." Lily looked over to where he was pointing, and saw a pale, slender girl with smoky grey curls gripped in a loose ponytail and an abundance of freckles splashed across her little nose. She was pretty, Lily had to admit, but her and James? It was almost laughable. Almost.

Lily was about to start on her PB&J when two pairs of hands grabbed her from behind. She almost choked on a swig of pumpkin juice as she was whirled around harshly to stare into Carolina red face. She grinned.

"Yes?" she said politely. Carolina stamped her foot and mouthed some rather impolite words at her. "Magnus," Lily whispered. Carolina found herself shouting loud enough that the whole hall could here her.

"Get this bloody spell off me or I'll-" she stopped realizing that everyone was staring at her, and blush sliding slowly into a seat beside Lily. Sirius and Taryn doubled up with laughter, and Lily pressed her lips together firmly to keep her from giggling impudently. Carolina slunk down so low in her seat that only her pink forehead was visible. When the majority of the snorting and chuckling stopped, she lifted herself up, but only high enough that her chin rested on the table.

"Shut it," she said forcefully. When Sirius didn't heed her words (he was shaking with silent laughter) she lobbed some macaroni and cheese into his face. He stopped laughing. Blinking slowly, he wiped the noodles of his face, accentuating his movements while keeping his anger in check. He then, deliberately, reached out across the table and shoved the remains of his 'face paint' onto Carolina's, wiping his hands off in her hair. James snapped out of his reverie and took careful study of the situation, fighting the impulse to laugh. Lily was doing the same, because, as James had noticed, any sound would turn their mad friends' attention on themselves which was not something they wanted at the time.

The two offenders glared daggers at each other, neither blinking. The silence between them turned almost icy, but then the corners of Sirius's mouth twitched. Apparently this set off an enormous chain reaction, making the two of them laugh so hard they each fell off their respective benches. Then, still laughing, they giggled their manic way out of the hall, arms around one another's shoulders. 

"Well," commented Lily to no one in particular. "That was odd." James, Remus, and Peter all nodded emphatically, still watching the retreating backs of their loony friends.

In their next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, another unpleasant thing happened. As soon as Remus walked into the room, he felt his body shake uncontrollably. The silver in the room was affecting him more than usual today. He became acutely aware of each scrap of that poisonous metal. Every earring the girls were wearing caused white hot pain to shoot through his body, the bullets in the guns obscured his vision, and James's wristwatch was making it quite hard to concentrate. He wondered why it was doing this now, and then he remembered.

"Full moon to night," he moaned softly to James and Peter. Sirius and Carolina had not yet arrived, owing, no doubt, to their little mac and cheese spat during lunch. James gave him a worried, understanding look, and Peter smiled at him (trying to be encouraging) but it was the type of smile a prisoner of war gives his executioner-terrified and pleading. Then, Professor Necare bounced in, far too happy, at least, that's what the marauders thought. None of them particularly liked him, mostly because of his prejudice against werewolves.

As the eager young professor began a deadly boring lecture about vampires, James had to fight to keep his attention in the classroom. He lost the fight, and gladly let his mind wander freely after about ten minutes. For some odd reason, no matter what else he thought of, Jessie kept popping back into his mind. James found himself involuntarily (sort of) examining every aspect of her that he could remember- cute freckles, funny wrinkled nose, enticing misty blue eyes, pretty ringlets, and that great accent…he sighed. Audibly. 

Sirius shot his friend a warning glance, but James didn't notice. Apparently, Professor Necare had also noticed James's lack of interest in his subject matter as well, for was the was still speaking he slowly worked his way among the desks so that he ended up directly in front of James. 

"Does anyone want to tell me where are vampires most vulnerable spots?" Taryn, Lily, and Remus raised their hands, but Necare was still staring coolly at James. "How about you, Mr. Potter?"

James jumped guiltily at the sound of his name, and felt fear wash through his veins like ice at the site of Necare's wide, toothy grin.

"Erm-I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," he stuttered, hoping to gain some time.

"I was just asking if you would care to tell the class where exactly are a vampires most vulnerable points," repeated the professor. James scanned the room helplessly, trying to see if there was anything useful written on the chalkboard, but Lily caught his eye by waving her arms. Once she had caught his gaze, she pointed to the space behind her knee, and indicated her eye. 

Looking back at the teacher James said, "Erm- behind it's knee and it's eye." He crossed his fingers, trying to keep the question out of his voice.

"Very good, Mr. Potter. Very good." Necare slumped his way back to the front of the room and started up where he left off, while surreptitiously scanning the class. He knew that James hadn't actually known the answer, any fool could tell that, but who had helped him. Hhhhmmm…maybe Carolina. She paid attention occasionally. Not Peter, the boy didn't have the brains, or the guts to give a correct answer…Remus? No, he'd been standing right in front of Remus…but there was something about that boy that he didn't like. Something that wasn't quite right about him. Oh well. Shunting these thoughts aside, he put full force into the lecture.

James breathed a heavy sigh, relaxing back in his seat. Suddenly, a ball thwacked him in the head, rebounding off and landing on his desk. Glancing around, he saw Lily snickering. She mouthed the words 'nice reflexes' and turned back to the lesson, the perfect picture of a studious suck up. He stuck out his tongue (better late then never), and unfolded the parchment.

You owe me one, Potter. And, by the way, the next time you start day-dreaming about that Jessie girl, PLEASE, for God's sakes, keep the drool to a minimum. 

He grimaced and pocketed the letter. Was it really that obvious? 

A/N 'lo all! Did ya miss me? Well, it was worth a try…here we go- Dani- sorry about Peter…I just felt weird so Peter reflected my mood. In hindsight I suppose he was beginning his slow descent into evil psychoticness (I live there…it's nice actually), but I'm not really too sure at the moment. Yes, if you take the time to listen to the lyrics of most songs (Beatles especially) you realize that they don't make sense. 'Making my way down town…walking fast…faces passin…I'm homebound…' do the faces have bodies attached or is she living in 'Face World'? Oh, I read the Broomstick story or whatever. McGonagall? And a broom that made her feel special? I'm going to have nightmares for weeks! Robin C- Okay! Cool! Fowl-Star- Heys! Did you see? YOU WERE IN THE CHAPTER! Did I do okay? If you hate you then it wasn't you and I was just kidding but if you liked you then it's okay. I'm sorry about the Seeker thing! GOD! I just like the position of Seeker and I find it easier to write that way. I didn't do it because Harry is a Seeker. If Harry was a Beater I STILL would have made James a Seeker because I think it fits okay! So if you have to quit reading then FINE! BE THAT WAY! I'm never talking to you again. *sticks out tongue* starborn- notta problem. Hope you didn't die!


	15. Of Sweat and Tears

Disclaimer- see previous disclaimer

Chapter Fifteen: Of Sweat and Tears

Everything dropped into a routine for around three weeks. James made waking up early a habit because he found out that Jessie would often be in the Common Room by five o'clock, either reading or doing last minute homework. Then there were the usual classes, but Sirius and James both had a new addition to their schedule. Quidditch Practice. They often found themselves collapsing with exhaustion after their hour long training sessions in which Artemis was trying to 'work them to death'. But they never complained. Sort of.

"I feel dead," moaned Sirius. He and James were walking back to the Common Room after a rigorous practice (their first game was next week). 

"Pity you aren't," drawled a sneering voice. The boys jumped around to find a smirking Malfoy lounging against the corridor wall.

"Ah, piss off Malfoy," said Sirius. "I'm too tired to beat the snot out of your greasy head." Malfoy smiled maliciously.

"What, all this work getting to be too much for you, Black? Running out of talent, are we?" James grabbed Sirius's arm and dug his heels into the ground, trying to keep Sirius from attacking. Not that it wasn't a good idea, but Malfoy was just egging him on. He managed to get Sirius to turn around and start walking away.

"Save your strength, Siri. That bastard's not worth it." James said this a bit louder than necessary, just for Malfoy's benefit. Suddenly, a jet of red light passed barely a centimeter over James's head. 

"And he's got horrible aim," chuckled Sirius. The boys' laughed all the way up to the Common Room.

"Jelly squid," said James. The fat lady opened quietly, looking rather subdued. They walked through the portrait hole and into the Common Room, where a rather strange sight met their eyes (and ears). Everything was dead quiet. No one was laughing, talking, anything. James and Sirius looked around cautiously, wondering what was wrong. Then Lily sped up to them, a lone tear sliding down her cheek. 

"Lily what's wrong?" whispered James, his concern echoing in his voice. Lily shook her head and grabbed their arms, pulling them up to their dorm. Inside, Remus and Peter were sitting on the floor, lost expressions on their pale faces. 

"What's going on?" asked Sirius.

"Two more students have gone m-missing," sniffled Lily. "A Ravenclaw a-and Carolina." The boys dropped their brooms to the floor with a clatter, staring at Lily in disbelief. 

"N-no," stuttered Sirius. "She couldn' have. She's not gone. She's not…is she?" Peter nodded morosely, and Lily let a fresh wave of tears swamp her face.

"But who? Why?" James was so stunned he could barely speak in complete sentences. Carolina? Gone? It just wasn't possible!

"I don't know!" cried Lily. "I just don't know." And with that she left the room at a run, tears and long hair streaming behind her. The boys were speechless. Sirius sank slowly to the ground.

"Gone," he said, spitting it out like it was bitter.

The marauders (minus one) spent the next few days milling about, lost and silent. Until the night when Sirius cracked.

"This is rubbish!" he yelled knocking his homework off his bed. Lily (who was sitting in their room reading, rather than face Taryn and Peyton's pity) looked up sharply from her book, and the boys stared at him. "Come on you lot!" Sirius was now pacing the room, running a hand through his hair. "Carolina wouldn't want us to be getting all depressed. We should be taking revenge on the bastards!"

"Sirius, we don't know who 'the bastards' are," Lily said, in a would-be soothing voice.

"So let's take revenge on the whole bloody castle!" he suggested emphatically. The other's faces began to brighten at the idea.

"Lily, what wa-is Carolina's favorite color?" She scrunched up her face, trying hard to remember.

"Red…yeah, it's red," she deadpanned.

"Let's paint the castle red!" shrieked Peter.

"Put hiccupping sweets and pepper imps in the Slytherins breakfast!" said Sirius, bouncing up and down on his bed.

"Is there a way to flip their Common Room upside-down?" wondered Remus.

"Turn their hair red?" suggested James.

"How about blasting a giant fog-horn in their rooms at three a.m.?" said Lily.

"Uh, Lils, we don't know where their Common Room is…or their password, for that matter," Sirius pointed out.

"Well, then why don't we question the house-elves about it." The question was more like an order. The loss of her best friend was beginning to take a toll on Lily. Her eyes were continuously red and puffy, plus she was snippy and snide to everyone. She had even mouthed off Professor Binns earlier that day, causing him to drop his notes in surprise. 

"Fine, alright." Sirius backed away from Lily, arms raised in a defensive position. "Jesus," he whispered. Most unfortunately, Lily heard him.

"Shut it, Black," she growled. But Sirius had had enough.

"No, you shut it Evans. I'm sorry about Carolina- really, I am- but you have to be all bitchy about it because there's nothing we can do." With that said he stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Outside, he sank down to the ground, leaning with his back against the wall. Sighing, he smashed his head into his hands.

What's wrong with me? he wondered. I've never argued with Lily. That's Jamsie's job…He sank down lower, and let his mind wander. Carolina with cat ears, Carolina's funny little laugh, Carolina at Quidditch, Carolina covered in macaroni…he was beginning to sense a pattern in these thoughts when he realized something was watching him. He looked up into Lily's impenetrable stare.

"Yes?" he said coldly.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked quietly, indicating the floor beside him.

"Go ahead," he mumbled. Lily sat down.

"Look I'm sorry, it's just-" 

"Yeah, I know. Lils, you aren't the only one who lost a friend."

"I'm sorry," she sniffled. "She was my best best best friend and-"

"Well, you've still got us!" Sirius said, sounding much happier than he felt. Lily gave him a watery smile. He grinned toothily and put an arm around her. They sat like that for a while until Sirius said-

"I'm hungry." Lily snorted.

"Siri, you're ALWAYS hungry!"

"Yeah?" he said. "And what're you going to do about it?"

"This!" She gave him a noogie until all his hair was askew. He glanced up at her with (what he thought were) puppy dog eyes.

"I'm still hungry."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They all spent the next four days preparing for the prank. Lily became Shermy-the-house-elf's best friend and wheedled the password out of him. James and Sirius concocted liberal amounts of a red potion that should work as a more efficient substitute for paint. Peter and Remus buried themselves in books, hunting for suitable spells. Finally, all was ready.

That night, the Common Room emptied slowly, and by the time the last straggling student yawned their way up to bed, it was twelve thirty. Grumbling slightly about the delay, they made their hasty way out of the portrait hole. It was so hasty, that none of them managed to notice a dark shadow that snuck inside the room during their exit.

Making their quiet way down the halls, they encountered a few obstacles. Their heavy equipment was absolutely no help at all, and Sirius had managed to catch a cold somewhere. Everyone was sure his huge sneezes would send Filch on the run, and then there was a distraction in the form of Peter. He gracefully tripped over the foot of a suit of armor and fell to the floor in a heap, much to the amusement of paintings nearby. The armor even gave a rusty laugh, and the marauders (minus one) decided it was time to move on. 

Lily, Siri, and Petey went to the dungeons.

"Are we there yet?" panted Peter, leaning against the head of a stone gargoyle.

"Must be nearly there," began Lily, but she was cut off when Peter fairly leapt off the wall. The gargoyle had moved!  

"Password?" it groaned, with a voice like dragging a rake over gravel. It's eyes were glowing green. Sirius pushed Lily forward. 

"Life blood?" said Lily, crossing her fingers. The gargoyle bowed it's head in submission and the wall beside it split open. They looked about in awe as they entered the forbidden Common Room.

The embers in the fireplace were still glowing, casting menacing shadows about the room. There were low wooden tables with clawed feet strewn about the room, surrounded by high-backed chairs with stiff, green, dragon hide cushions. The stone ceiling was so high that the three gaping intruders could just barely see it's outline in the ascending gloom.

"Well," said Lily, "let's get started."

"SSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" the boys instructed. The stone archways made her voice echo eerily, so she whispered.

"All right! Let's get started then." Sirius and Lily walked off to different walls and threw a bucket of potion on it. They watched in amazement as the red dye spread like an ink stain, methodically covering all of the walls, and (Lily suspected) the ceiling as well.

Meanwhile, Peter was doing his best to cast one of the useful spells he and Remus had dredged up in the Library. Muttering crossly and jabbing his wand in the archway that led to the dorm rooms, he tried to cast a spell that would cause anyone who walked through that doorway to be plagued with startlingly red hair. When they were done, the three stepped back to admire their handiwork.

"I hope we're all done," Lily said, pulling a giant, magically enhanced fog horn out of her robes.

"Where'd you get tha-" But Sirius was cut off when Lily pressed the button and an excruciatingly loud noise blared out (like several cars colliding with a monster truck with a sickening metal squish). 

"RUN!" screamed Lily. And ran they did. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

James and Remus entered the kitchen slowly, wading through a tide of curious elves.

"Mr. James? What is you doing here?" James looked down to find Shermy bobbing by his knee.

"Oh, hello Shermy," he said politely. "We're here on an-erm…"

"Business venture," supplied Remus.

"Oh. Will yous being requiring and food, good sirs?" squeaked another house-elf.

"We al-" began Remus.

"Yes, my friend here is famished," said James, getting an idea. This set the house-elves into a frenzy, swamping Remus in trays of tea and platters of pastries. He shot James a pleading look, but he was too busy stuffing pepper imps inside pancakes and letting hiccupping sweets dissolve into goblets of pumpkin juice to notice.

Ten minutes, six meat pies, and twelve cups of tea later, James helped a thoroughly stuffed Remus enter the Common Room.

They had been sitting on the couch for at least twenty minutes when Lily suddenly flew through the portrait hole and collapsed on the ground, panting. Sirius sprinted in right behind her, tripped on Lily's legs, and crashed down on top of her. Peter wheezed in fifteen seconds later and promptly hurtled into the two of them. In the commotion, no one noticed that the portrait hole stayed open longer than was necessary, much to the Fat Lady's consternation.

"What _are you doing?" asked Remus._

"Being smothered," Lily choked out, her voice muffled, "by two hulking idiots." Hearing this, Peter pushed himself up, accidentally giving Sirius a solid elbow to the ribs. After Peter had so kindly 'gotten his bloody arse' off of Sirius, Sirius rolled off a rather squashed Lily. Remus helped Lily up, and she swiftly collapsed onto an easy chair rubbing her cheek (which had the pattern of the carpet imprinted in it).

"So…what were you running from?" questioned James, annoyed.

"Loud noise," panted Peter.

"Evil Slytherins, Evil Filch," wheezed Sirius, clutching at a stitch in his side.

"Evans, what're they on about?" James turned to Lily, exasperated.

"We set off my foghorn in she bloody Slytherin's Common Room and ran like hell. Right into Filch. Then we ran up here trying to escape Filch. Got it?" Yawning, Lily glanced at her watch. "2:30? God I'm tired. Say, don't you two have a Quidditch match tomor- er, today?"

"BLOODY HELL!"

A/N Hey Dudes and Dudettes! What's shakin? If you can't tell I am incredibly super-dee-duperly hyper at this very moment in time. I have already written chapter sixteen and ½ of chappie numero seventeen, but I'm running out of inspiration. My muse sucks…I'm thinking of firing her, but I'm too lazy. Does anyone know where I could find a decent replacement muse and fast? *sigh* Oh well. Can't wait for the Academy Awards! The Two Towers had better win something. A lot of somethings. But I'm pissed that PJ didn't get nominated for Best Director…okay, sorry bout that, just had to get it out and all my friends already think I'm crazy so why give them further evidence? Mooooooooving on…REVIEW SECTION—LoonyLoopyLisa- Glad you like it. Cool namey thingy. Beter than mine… Fowl-Star- I love the name Artemis! In fifth grade when we had to study Greek Gods and Goddesses and we had a Greek parade where we all dressed up like gods and did reports on them I Really REALLY wanted to be Artemis but no, I had to be all noble and be a boy god because there weren't enough guys so I got to be Dionysus (God of Wine and Paties…not too bad…). But I had an oober cool costume with this purple toga thing and a grapey cape thing and a crown of ivy…right, anyways…I, too, hate the rat, and im not sure what he was doing then…probably as you suggested, but I'm not sure…I think it'll come out later on in second year. It's okay about the flipping out thing I do it a lot. Like, there's this really great story (The Story of James Potter) but they make Arthur and Molly Weasly in it and as it SPECIFICALLY STATES in The Goblet of Fire on page 617 "Mrs. Weasley was intrigued by the Whomping Willow, which had been planted after she had left school, …" and in the third book Remie said that the Whomping Willow was planted the year he came to school which means that IT'S NOT POSSIBLE! Oh well…it's honestly okay about the seeker thing. Just don't do it again. And it's not that Dumbledore's out of it, it's just that no one told him about it and you can't expect the guy to be omniscient, give  him a break. Fluffy the Teddy Bear Slayer- right back at ya. Elfmoon87- Glad you're still reading! Braney- grounded? I know the feeling. Most recently my parents said that if my Latin (the root of all evil) grades don't improve that I wont be able to use the computer for the rest of the school year. That's not good. I've gotta weird one- "WE ALL LIVE IN A YELLOW SUBMARINE…" or how about "picture yourself on a boat on a river with tangerine trees, and marmalade skies…somebody calls you you answer quite slowly, a girl with kaleidoscope eyes…" can you tell that I love the Beatles? I almost cried when George Harrison died. I'm an American too ya know. Atl, Ga. I DON'T WANT TO GO TO FRIKKIN WAR! Well, I wanna kick some Saddam ass, but I don't want to kill innocent people…*sigh* I just like the idea of an evil potions teacher…it just sort of fits. You can't make things TOO easy for them… Yes, life without thumbs would most definitely suck. A lot. 


	16. Of the Golden Snitch

Disclaimer- see previous disclaimer

Chapter Sixteen: Of the Golden Snitch

The next day proved to be very wearisome. First of all, James over slept and missed his meeting with Jessie, which put him in a sour mood right off the bat Then he got into a spat with Lily over breakfast, though later, neither could remember exactly what it was about.

The whole hall got a laugh when the Slytherins entered, Lily even caught Dumbledore hiding a smile. As it turns out, Peter had not been specific enough with his spell, causing the most random parts of Slytherins to turn red. Occasionally it hit the hair, but most times the charm had misfired, giving the murderous students a rather humiliating appearance. Lucius Malfoy had gotten half of his long blonde hair dyed red, and an arm was tinted pink. Snape had a pair of red legs, and a dour expression. Lily was pleased to see that Crabbe had a red eye, and Goyle's nose looked somewhat liked a squashed tomato. 

In addition to the colorful additions to their hated arch-rivals, the marauders were all pleased to notice that each Slytherin had bags under his or her eyes, owing- no doubt- to Lily's wonderful foghorn. Then, as the bleary eyed Slytherins slumped down in their seats, something else happened. They all began hiccupping or smoking at the mouth. Poor (A/N yeah right) Crabbe and Goyle got both, and spent the rest of the day hiccupping up smoke and the occasional spark. 

In the midst of all the chaos, Lily saw Filch sidle up to Dumbledore and whisper in his ear, indicating in their direction. Dumbledore stood up and commanded their attention.

"Would Ms. Evans, Mr. Black, and Mr. Pettigrew please accompany me to my office?" With sighs of trepidation, and cheers from all but the Slytherins, the tired trio slunk out of the hall. Before he could leave, Artemis Wood grabbed the back of Sirius's cloak. 

"You'd better get out of there in time for the match or-" but Sirius never did hear the end of his sentence, as Professor McGonagall swooped down on him at that very moment and shoved him out the door (remarkably forcefully for someone of her stature).

"I'm not taking the fall for this," growled Lily into Sirius's ear. "It wasn't all our fault and-"

"We might as well," Sirius whispered back harshly. "We're going for a record, remember?. Most detentions attained in one year?" Lily shuddered.

"I'd rather not if it's all the same to you, Siri," she said.

Waiting for them by the gargoyle were Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Centia. He glared menacingly at the three of them, eyebrows furrowed in a furious scowl. Lily got the impression of a predatory bird, moving in for the kill. It was not a pleasant thing to see that early in the morning.

"Toffee," commanded Dumbledore. The gargoyle jumped aside obligingly, revealing the moving staircase. The sight of this always managed to impress Sirius and Peter, though Lily found it a lot like escalators, which reminded her of muggles, which also did nothing to improve her mood. As soon as they entered the large office, Centia jumped all over them (A/N not like that! It's an expression).

"Just what do you think you're doing? Poisoning my students, disfiguring them, and disturbing their rest. If they don't perform in top condition today I will personally-" he stopped his angry tirade at a quelling look from Dumbledore. He retreated into the shadows, muttering to himself.

"Now," said Dumbledore, in his usual voice, "can you please explain to me exactly why you did this?" He locked his eyes on each of his students in turn, his passive blue eyes not revealing anything, but making them squirm as though he were searching the inmost parts of their soul. 

"We just…felt like it?" Sirius suggested, flinching as Dumbledore turned his gaze on him full-force.

"I see," he said slowly, still unreadable. Lily could tell that Peter was nervous. He didn't like being in trouble- that Lily could relate to- but there was something else…he was kind of hiding behind them, finding shelter in their shadow. This puzzled Lily for a bit, but Centia's sudden outburst brought her back to the here and now.

"That is rubbish, Headmaster," he said greasily. "Surely such…vagrancies should be punished?" Dumbledore inclined his head slightly, and Lily felt the bottom drop out of her stomach.

"Thirty points shall be taken from Gryffindor-" Sirius let out a gasp of distress. Dumbledore let a small smile flicker across his lips, and continued. "Thirty points shall be taken from Gryffindor, _and _you will each be serving a weeks detention." Nodding in silent acceptance, the three backed slowly out of the office.

"By the way, Mr. Black," began Dumbledore. Sirius turned around, cringing, ready for the worst. "Congratulations on a most excellently done Dye Potion. I believe the Slytherin Common Room was thoroughly covered." Sirius couldn't help but notice that Dumbledore, though keeping a straight face, had laugh lines around his gleeful eyes as he said this. Snorting in disbelief and hysteria, he bounded down the stairs skipping the last ten, and stumbled out into the hallway. Standing still for awhile, wondering why no one was in the halls- it hit him.

"QUIDDITCH!" he screamed. Without wasting a second more he sprinted the whole way down to the Quidditch Pitch. Bursting into the locker room at lightning speed, he tripped over the benches and his teammates, fairly jumped into his robes, and grabbed his broom. He turned around to find the whole team staring at him. 

"What?" he said incredulously. "I was built for long distance!" Shaking their heads, the Gryffindors got off the benches and made their way out to the field to the tumultuous applause of all their Housemates. 

"So?" whispered James, mounting his broom. "What happened?"

"We took the fall for yeh," said Sirius, shooting up into the air, hefting his heavy Beaters club into a cradling position. "Got a telling off and a weeks worth of detention. And we got thirty points from Gryffindor."

"Thirty points?" asked Artemis as he soared quickly to his position at the goal posts. "We'd better win this one then!" James and Sirius grinned. As he rocketed off into the air Sirius thrust a hand upward. rocket

"This one's for Carolina!"         

Shooting up above the game, James circled lazily for awhile, watching out for the snitch, while keeping an eye on the Ravenclaw seeker. It was that Cheng kid from China! Sidling up to him on his broom, James tried to size him up. Cheng was tall for his age, about five nine, James guessed. He had jet black hair- not unlike James' own, except it was combed back neatly- a feat James could never accomplish- along with sharp, rather hawk-like grey eyes. Seeing James marking him closely, the boy scowled in his direction. James grinned sheepishly and shrugged, flying off and scanning the field for any flash of brilliant gold.

Below, the game was friendly as Quidditch matches go. No major fouls had been committed, and the teams were matched evenly. Though James caught sight of the snitch a few times during the next few hours, it eluded his and Cheng's grasp, always hovering just out of reach, or dodging off into a blur of darting golden light, speeding faster than their brooms. After four hours the teams were getting desperate. Most of the crowd had drifted off to lunch, though the majority of the professors had remained. Finally, the Ravenclaw captain signaled time out, and the players all drifted gratefully to the wonderfully solid ground.

After sitting in exhaustion for several minutes, Katrina fetched her wand out of her locker and drenched the team in a spurt of chilled water. Gasping in relief, they stood up, dripping with sweat and water.

"James," said Wood, "I know you're working hard, but we need you to catch the snitch. As soon as possible. If neither you nor the Ravenclaw guy gets the snitch by night fall, we'll call in the backups or keep playing depending on how tired we are. How's that lip Sirius?"

"Ith okai," Sirius said around a swollen split lip.

"Should I call Madam Pompfrey?"

"I'b fiin," he said, wincing with pain. "Leth pai!" Assuming that he said 'let's play' they complied with his demand, mounting up on rather sorer than normal rear ends. Doing a quick lap around the field, James let the cool wind in his face revive him. Looking down he saw that all of the Slytherins had left, and that a good number of the Hufflepuffs had left also. He was rather pleased to see that Peter, Remus, and Lily were still in the stands, though it seemed as if their attention were elsewhere. Smiling slightly he realized that Lily and Remus were playing Gobstones and Peter was having fun with Exploding playing cards, slipping one down the back of Remus's robes which promptly caught fire. He also noticed that Jessie was still there as well. Beaming to himself, he competed his circuit of the field and came to rest directly above where all the action was taking place. To his surprise, Cheng flew up next to him.

"Well, this has lasted for quite a long time," he said, with just the barest trace of sarcasm lacing his voice.

"No shit, Sherlock," James grinned. Cheng let a smile play on his lips while running a hand through his slick hair. Suddenly-

"JAMETH! LOO HOUT!" James turned just in time to see a bludger speeding at his head. He instantly flattened himself along the broom, dropping down several feet in one easy motion. Cheng followed suit, the bludger passing barely centimeters above his head. For the first time, James realized that someone was commentating the match. Before, he had just been concentrating, but now he listened to the commentators commentation.

"And Katrina Reynolds had the Quaffle again. She speeds towards the goalposts and shoots. The keeper stops it. He throws it to Bobby Salvetores who is knocked in the head by a bludger. Another nice shot from Barry Hudson. Bobby flies through the pain, shooting the quaffle from point blank range. Wood dives- no, jumps off his broom- and manages to apprehend the quaffle. But he's not on his broom!" The monotonous tone of the voice made it apparent that he too believed that the match had gone on for far too long. But as Wood clung tightly to the quaffle, using the charm that was placed on it to keep it in the air longer to keep him aloft, his voice actually gained a little emotion.

"Bethany Pierson of Gryffindor swoops over and eases him onto her broom. Nice save by Wood anyway…" James let the words drift over him, sinking into the ocean of boredom, succumbing to the waves of stupefying dullness. Three torturous hours later, James spotted the snitch. It was hovering two inches off the ground at the far goal post. Cheng hadn't spotted it yet, but he was far closer. Maneuvering closer to the Ravenclaw goalposts, he drifted slowly, almost meanderingly, so as not to draw attention to the snitch. Pleased to see that the snitch had not moved by the time he drew even with Cheng, James let loose, burning all his pent up energy in one giant burst of speed, urging his broom to unheard of speeds, plummeting down with the wings of desire. He was almost there. Fifty feet, twenty five feet...he was going to crash! He was hurtling at the ground with such speed that he was going to get ploughed no matter what, closing his eyes James continued his mad descent. The last thing he felt before he hit the ground was a tiny pair of wings beating furiously against his grip. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"But Madam Pompfrey! Just let us sit here for a few more minutes!"

"No! You might disturb the patient!"

"Dithturb the patient? He'th unconthouth!" James heard the voices faintly, as though they were far away. Realizing that the indignant, lisping voice had to be Sirius, he tried to clear his mind. Everything was cloudy for awhile, but when he heard what could only be the sounds of Madam Pompfrey ushering his friend (friends?) out, he sat up slowly, blinking.

"Look! He's awake!" James could see five blurry shapes standing above him. There was a red blob, a bouncing blob, a pale blob, a blonde blob, and a starchy white blob. The red blob pressed something into his hand. Realizing that they were his glasses, James put them on slowly and watched the blobs transform into Lily, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and a suffering Madam Pompfrey.

James reached up slowly and felt a gauzy material wound about his head.

"Wha happened?" he groaned.

"WE WON THE MATCH!" Sirius shouted happily around a still swollen lip, making James's ears throb. 

"Shattup Siri!" said Remus quietly, seeing James grimace of pain.

"Besides you're starting in the middle. If you're going to tell it, tell it properly." That was Lily. She was leaning lazily against the head board of the bed.

"Fine. You see, you collided after you caught the snitch- which means we won the match-"

"I knew tha Sirius," said James indignantly.

"Well we won anywayth, but when you hit you kind of banged up your head pretty good and Dumbledore magiced you up here and it'th been three days and we nevah thought you were going to wake up because Madam Pompfrey thaid that if we did wake you up there could be brain damage or thomething (I told her there would be no differenth, but doethee lithen? Nooooo…) but if we didn't wake you up you could go into a comma or something," said Sirius.

"Coma you blooming idiot. It's a coma, not a comma," Lily corrected him.

"Ah yeth," said Sirius wisely. "Our dearetht little Lily-flower was just oh so upthet about your little crath. Nearly cried her eyth out, didn' the?"

"Shattup, Siri," Lily snapped back. "You cried more'n I did and you know it."

"Tho you admit to crying then?" cried Sirius triumphantly. Lily bit her lip, trying to force the pink tinge out of her cheeks. "Ha!" Sirius was practically skipping for joy by now. "She's _bluthing!_"

Lily snapped. "Maybe I did cry. So what? I didn't want to loose another friend. But I wouldn't mind loosing you, Siri, and I know enough curses now that you had better be looking over your shoulder everywhere you go. Because you'll never know when I'll come after you." She turned on her heel and walked out of the room quietly, leaving a wake of total disbelief (not to mention fear) behind her.

"Wath it thomething I thaid?"

A/N Okay, hope y'all enjoyed that! Sorry it took me forever to get it out but I had a major Latin test, not to mention a three hour softball practice, and a major Drama monologue due tomorrow! Well, enough with the excuses- on with the reviews! Starborn- of course the reviews are skrewed! I'm writing them! I'm glad you like Shermy's name. If you want I can give you the whole story of how I came up with it (it's actually quite entertaining) but I'm afraid of boring reviewers to death. Well, keep readin! Braney- French and Hebrew? Hell, I can barely handle 2 languages (English and Latin). Barely. I HATE LATIN!!!!!!! ARGH! My Latin teacher is the root of all evil. NOT FUN! Yes! I agree! We should all kick Saddam. A lot. A lot a lot a lot a lot a lot a lot. Mellifluous-having a smooth rich flow and if you don't believe me go look it up. I presume you have access to a dictionary…and by saying 'gracefully trip' I was being sarcastic (my favorite form of humor). Yes, I realize that Atlanta is the coke capitol. We have a really cool thing 'the world of coke' here and it's awesome! They have this room where the coke shoots out from the walls and lands in your cups and it's the neatest thing EVER! DOWN WITH PEPSI! You got an account? Awesome dude! Are you going to write a story(s)? TELLMETELLMETELLME! Fowl-star- Actually, I have to agree with 'anonymous' on that one because it does say that the chamber was opened before Malfoy Sr. was there. That's okay, I make stupid mistakes too. Most recently I could be heard commenting that Frito was the coolest hobbit ever…I was close, okay!?!?!?! Fluffy the Teddy Bear Slayer- . Awesome Quidditch player From The 70's attending Hogwarts- okay then! I try! Anonymous- thanks. I thought so too, but it's always nice to have backup. 

Okay y'all! You keep reviewing and I'll keep writing.


	17. Of Revenge and Noogies you know, the rea...

Disclaimer- IT'S ALL MINE!!!! I'M THE GENIUS BEHIND THE HARRY POTTER STORIES AND I OWN IT ALL! IT'S MINE! MINE I TELL YOU, MINE! *

Chapter Seventeen: Of Revenge and Noogies

James was good and tired of being under Madam Pompfrey's constant observation by the end of that day, so he took matters into his own hands. He woke up early and snuck out of the hospital wing and into the Common Room before Madam Pompfrey began her rounds. It was only five-oh-two when he got to the Common Room, and, using his common sense, he decided not to rouse the others this early. Enjoying the relative tranquility of the roaring fire (gotta love the House Elves), he didn't even notice when someone sat down in the chair next to him.

"James? Is that you?" He recognized that accent…

"Oh, hey Jessie!" 

"James!" she squealed. She ran over to him and gave him a hug. James felt his heart skip a beat. "We were so worried about you!" She pulled away from him and looked straight into his eyes. "Never do that again! You could've…"

"Yeah, but I didn't," he grinned, using bravado to cover up for the floating sensation that was sweeping his body. "Did you watch the match?"

"You crazy? Course I did! You were spectacular!" James grinned so widely he thought it might stretch off his face. "But really stupid. Why'd you dive like that you idiot?" James blushed.

"I just wanted to catch the snitch. As long as we win it doesn't matter if I get ploughed." Jessie face eased into a smile.

"Were you this insane before the crash or did the collision rattle your brains?"

"No, he was definitely exactly like this before the crash." James and Jessie whirled around to find a sleepy Lily standing on the stairs.

"Couldn't sleep?" asked James as she stumbled onto the sofa, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Peyton was talking in her sleep again and I figured that it'd be better reading down here then listen to her have conversations about fashion up there." James noticed that she was holding a copy of Dune in her hands.

"Whoa," said Jessie. Apparently she had noticed the enormous novel as well. "You actually read that?"

"Yeah. I'm only on page 47, but it's getting really interesting." Lily flipped open to a page and propped herself up against one of the armrests. There was an awkward silence until Lily looked up and said, "Well, don't let me disturb you." James smiled appreciatively at her and turned back to Jessie.

"So did I miss much while I was in the Hospital Wing?"

And that's how Sirius and Remus found them when they entered the Common Room and hour later. Lily was asleep, head leaning against the large couch cushions, book laid open on her stomach, while Jessie and James were in a heated argument over which sport was better, Quidditch or (). They stopped short.

"Well, there goes the rescue mission," muttered Remus. James noticed them for the first time.

"What're you lot doing here?" he said. Sirius took note of his companion and smiled knowingly.

"About to rescue you from the iron grip of the Mistress of Doom, but you seem to be doing quite well without us." Then he turned to Jessie as though just noticing her presence. "Why, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of making your acquaintance." He stated. Jessie giggled, looking unbelieving into Sirius's deadly serious (no pun intended) face. 

"Jessie Windham. And you are…?"

"Sirius Black, master of disaster. It's an honor, Jessie Windham." He held out his hand as if to shake hers, but when she put her hand in his he brought it to his lips and kissed it lightly. Jessie choked with laughter while fighting down a blush. James was furious and clenched his fists tightly, short fingernails digging into his sweaty palm. Lily surveyed this exchange with half closed eyes, while Remus looked on with interest. Sirius took the side of the couch nearest Jessie, leaving Remus to squish in next to Lily. She obligingly moved her legs so he could have room, and sat up so they could talk. She easily coaxed him into helping her get revenge on Siri, who was completely ignoring them- he was far too intent on pissing off James.

By the time the next student had entered the Common Room, James had his anger in check, and Lily and Remus had a master plan that revolved around one person.

"Peyton!" Lily burst into her dorm to find Peyton lacing up her shoes.

"Yes?" she said, glancing into a mirror that was hovering at eye level. Giving her hair one final pat, she stood up, plucking the mirror out of the air and laying it flat on her bedside table. "Stay," she commanded. The mirror obliged, sitting placidly in its place.

"I need your help with something," Lily said trying to draw Payton's attention back to herself.

"With what?" Peyton seemed mildly interested.

"Well, I'm trying to pull a prank-"

"Oh, not another one Lily. I'm not going to get in trouble over some stupid little-" 

"But I need you to distract Sirius while I-"

"Sirius? Hmm…maybe I can help…" Lily smiled. She had just struck gold.

"Why don't you come down to breakfast with me? I'll fill you in on the way."

At eight-thirty all the cards were in play. Sirius entered the Hall with Remus, who gave Lily a thumbs up. She turned quickly to Peyton and muttered, "It's showtime!" Smiling like a perfect angel, Peyton stood up and glided over to Sirius.

"Oh Sirius?" she said quietly.

"Erm-yeah?" he looked a bit perplexed to be approached by Peyton- he had barely said two words…no, one word to her in the past year or so.

"I was wondering if you could help me with my astronomy homework, and Lily said you were really great at it, so if you could please…?" she trailed off hopefully, sliding into the seat next to him with one fluid movement. Lily had to hand it to her, the girl was good. 

Seeing Peyton up close, Sirius willingly scooted closer, leaning over her star-chart with her. Lily winked at Remus, and he winked back, pulling a packet of fine green powder out of his pocket. Sprinkling it evenly over Sirius's warm pancakes, he watched it dissolve into the syrup and be absorbed by the warm bread. Peyton glanced at him and he coughed once. She smiled and stood up.

"Thanks for all your help Sirius," she said flirtatiously, grinning coyly and sauntering back to her seat by Lily with practiced grace. Lily gave her a high-five and a huge grin as she sat down.

"That was brilliant!"

"Thanks," said Peyton. "God he's hot…" she sighed, looking at Sirius. Lily rolled her eyes and went back to her toast. 

Sirius almost muttered 'God she's hot,' but something stopped him. For some reason an image of Carolina's face popped into his mind. Confused, he turned back to his plate. Remus gave him a look Sirius couldn't interpret, but then crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. Sticking his tongue out at him in return, Sirius dived into his breakfast. In their next class, Potions (joy), James sat next to Sirius.

"Why'd you do that?" he whispered furiously.

"Do what?" Sirius whispered back, thinly slicing his tarantula legs.

"You know what."

"Oh, with your luver-girl?" he simpered.

"She's not my lover-girl!" James responded, a little too loudly. Lily glanced over at him and smirked. James could tell by the twitch at the corners of her mouth that she knew exactly who he was talking about.

"Well, I did it cause she's a total babe and deserves better that you," said Sirius. As soon as he said it he looked horrified and clapped his hands over his mouth. James turned to face him slowly, his eyes turning black with pure malevolence.

"What…did…you…say?" he questioned threateningly.

"I didn't mean it," squeaked Sirius. "I was going to say, 'I was just kidding', but I opened my mouth and that's what came out! I didn't mean it!"

"Like hell you didn't," James growled, throwing his spider legs into the cauldron and starting to peel his Ptrangla fruit. Sirius was completely bewildered. Without thinking, he added his caterpillar antennae into the potion before the Phoenix tear, and it exploded. The noise rocked the room, filling it with smoke, and charring Sirius and James's faces, not to mention the walls, and reduced the worktable to cinders. Remus's hair had been covered in a fine ash, aging him about fifty years, while Lily had gotten a caterpillar corps wedged into her ear. Malfoy had had his eyebrows singed off, and Snape…well…the grease in his hair had just absorbed the shock, not to mention debris, so he remained as normal. Centia was furious.

"Idiot boy! Couldn't manage the order of the ingredients, could you? Are you to smart to read the instructions, Black? Too high-minded to follow what we mere mortals know as instructions? I THINK NOT!" he was spitting with rage. Even Sirius took a step back in shock.

"Professor?" piped Lily.

"What is it now you mud…what is it now, Evans?" Lily's face turned puce with pent up anger at his unfinished word, but kept her voice under control. 

"I was just wondering if I may visit the Hospital Wing as I have a small caterpillar stuck in my ear." 

"Fine, girl. Just get out of my sight. ALL of you!" Sirius tried to make a getaway with the rest of the students shoving through the door, desperate to escape their teacher, but he failed. Centia grabbed the back of his robes and dragged him back into the room.

"Except you, Black. We must have a discussion arranging detentions." Sirius paled, though it was hardly noticeable under the soot on his face. "Now, I have some toads that need disemboweling, rat spawn that needs pickling, and goat spit that needs sterilizing and bottling. Think you can handle that?"

"If I can handle living in the same hemisphere as your ugly mug, I can handle just about anything." Centia's eyes flashed.

"What was that you just said, Black?" Sirius backed slowly away, terror in his eyes.

"I din' say anything professor…" Centia glared at him. 

"I'm sure you didn't. Now, that'll be thirty points from Gryffindor for blatant rudeness. Now leave before I take more as you know it pains me so much to see your House loose points…" Sirius fled. James was waiting outside the door.

"Why'd you say that about Jessie and to Centia. Are you just asking for trouble or what?" They walked down to Greenhouse Two where the class had begun plating Lady Slipper bulbs. But these weren't the Muggle kind of flower bulbs, they were magical. The bulbs had feet and loved to dance along the tables, just pirouetting out of the grasping hands of students. Professor Metus could be seen skipping among the rows, always hovering near a small Hufflepuff girl with sleek mouse-brown hair. 

"I don't know why I said it," grunted Sirius, diving along the length of the table, trying to catch hold of his bulb and missing spectacularly. On the other side of the room, Lily was teaching hers, Remus's, and Taryn's to do a line dance, while Peter's was doing a polka on his head. "I just open my mouth and words come out. I don't mean to say them. I wasn't even thinking of saying them. It's like my mouth chooses the absolute worst thing to say at that moment, and just lets loose."

"Hhhhmmm," James said while holding his bulb in the pot with one hand and shoveling dirt on top with the other. "I think I've heard of something like that before…you have to use a crushed bezoar, though, and we can't take those out of Potions…oooooooohh."

"Oooooooohh what?" wheezed Sirius, slamming a pot down around his dancing bulb, caging it in.

"Nothing," James lied, glancing over his shoulder at Lily.

"Sure," panted Sirius. "Whatever you say." At the end of the class James asked Lily to wait while he stored his equipment.

"Sure," she said. "No, Taryn, don't wait for me, I'll see you at lunch." James stowed his stuff, and he and Lily started for the castle.

"So, what's up?" she inquired. 

"Why'd you put the bezoar dust in Sirius's food?" Lily quickly hid her surprise.

"Well, I didn't do it…"

"Okay, why'd you get someone else to put bezoar dust in Sirius's food?" Lily grinned guiltily.

"Because I was getting revenge." James gave her a questioning look.

"You know when you were in the Hospital Wing and he was torturing me and I threatened to get revenge? Well, this is it." James nodded. He had to admire Lily's planning and conniving ways, but still.

"How long til it wears off?" he asked yanking open the door. Lily walked in, smiling like the crocodile after it ate Captain Hook.

"Oh, judging the amount Remus slipped into his pancakes…two or three days, give or take…" With that she waltzed into the Great Hall, and feeling no great desire to go listen to Sirius complain and James moon over Jessie, she found English and sat down with her.

"'lo," English said. "Lily, I don't think you've met my friend Ginny?" 

"Hallo there. I'm Ginny Winthrup." A tall blonde girl held her hand out to Lily from across the table.

"Lily Evans, pleased to meet you," Lily said, taking careful note of the shining badge on her chest. English saw where she was looking.

"Yes, Ginny's a prefect too. Don't worry, we can't turn you in if you haven't done anything. You haven't…have you?"

"Well…for the sake of our friendship, no. Of course not." English chuckled and Ginny gave a little bubbly laugh. Suddenly English stopped laughing. 

"Hey Lils, aren't those two Gryffindors over there your friends?" Lily whirled around sharply to see Sirius stuffing pudding down Peter's robes and Peter pouring soup on Sirius's head.

"Uh-oh," she muttered, fingering her wand tentatively. Smiling innocently into the prefects faces, she stood up from the table. "I'm afraid I'll have to be leaving now. A-erm…situation has arisen that I simply must attend to." She walked briskly to the Gryffindor table, just hearing English's cry of 'Lily, what did you do?'

Stepping quickly between her two friends, Lily shoved them away from each other Remus and James quickly grabbed each by the back of the robes to keep them from attacking one another again. James gave Lily a meaningful look, and she rolled her eyes, sighing.

"Siri, what the hell did you just do?" she asked calmly, gazing directly into Sirius's midnight black eyes.

"I just opened my mouth, and insulted him. I didn't bloody mean to, it just came out, all right?" he was glaring furiously at Peter, who returned his menacing stare, but with a little tremor of fear shivering down his spine.

"All right," Lily said, turning to Peter, "what did he say to you?"

"He said I was a fat worthless busybody who was as close to a squib as you can get without actually being one." Lily gasped.

"You didn't." Sirius pursed his lips as though swallowing something sour.

"I said I didn't mean it Peter! I don't know why I said it but it's not true!"

"Yeah? You expect me to believe that?" James nudged Lily and nodded towards Sirius, eyes pleading. She moaned.

"Peter, he didn't mean to and I can prove it." Remus gave her a warning look. She had better tread carefully; this wasn't going to be pretty.

"Oh yeah? How?" he snarled angrily, jerking free of Remus' grasp. 

"Yeah? How?" Sirius echoed, confused.

"There was bezoar dust in your pancakes this morning." 

"WHAT?" Sirius and Peter gasped simultaneously. "But…how do you..?" Sirius spluttered on. Suddenly, his eyes widened quickly and then narrowed into slits of angry black. Wrenching out of James arms, he walked toward her. 

"You…little…" Lily was backing away more and more rapidly, but her short legs were no match for Sirius' muscles. He dove at her and caught her heels, tripping her to the floor. Grinning as innocently as possible Lily sidled away from him. They were drawing quite a crowd. The Slytherins looked on, amused, obstructing the teachers' paths to the quarreling students. Sirius caught Lily's wrist and got her in a head lock. She whimpered, and then…

Sirius gave her the biggest noogie of her life, frizzing up Lily's hair so badly that she looked like a large red poodle had taken up residence on her head. The Slytherins groaned (they had wanted to see a fight), and James and Remus collapsed against each other, very relieved. No one seemed to notice that Peter squelched (he had pudding in his shoes) angrily from the room in a huff. 

Grinning like a cat, Lily pulled her hair back into a fluffy pony tail as the teachers made their grateful way back to their chairs. Sirius chuckled a bit and then helped Lily to her feet. Misjudging his own strength, he neatly tripped her over his own foot and sent her flying into James's unsuspecting arms. 

*yeah, I wish

A/N Hallo all. Very pleased to hear from you again. Can't wait to get 100 reviews! How about this- the 100th reviewer will get a special cameo in the next chapter of my story! Doesn't that sound thrilling (for the sake of my sanity, here is where you nod and smile)? Glad to hear it. Now, on to the races-or not…I could just reply to y'alls reviews.  Snowflake- I'm sorry about your teacher. Mine is the absolute worst. Our class secretly thinks she works for the Mafia or something because she always gets these weird phone calls in the middle of class…I wish we could bust her for something *sigh*. Oh well…yeah, I love Siri too, he's my favorite! BlueEyedWildmage- like the name! I'm glad you really liked my story (I love making people laugh, though most of the time it's inintentional…).  blue-eyed-freak- I'm really glad you like it so much, though I think going so far as to call me God is going just a tad overboard. Not that I don't LOVE being called God or anything…oh well. The Lily/James romance is coming, just gimme a while. At the moment I'm formulating a different romance (completely different people). If you can guess who, I'll give ya free butterbeer! And who the hell is Coraline? starborn-Glad you liked lithping Thiriuth. Heth my favorite! Fluffy the Teddy Bear Slayer- Well, as much as I am enjoying our conversation in morse code or whatever, I would really appreciate editorial comment, chatter…in fact I don't care, just write in words. You know like a,b,c,d,e,f and all that crap? Jewels- Where does Lily win? I tried very hard to not really have a winner. 

Okay y'all, when I posted this I had 87 reviews. The 100th reviewer can either get my undying devotion or a cameo sorta thing in an upcoming chapter of my story, your choice. PLEASE REVIEW Y'ALL!


	18. Of Stuff and Nonsense

Disclaimer- 

to those who think that I actually own this stuff-y'all be trippin! (Special Thanks for this quote go to Sawyer the idiot in my Latin Class)

To those who think that I don't own this stuff-*sniff* unfortunately, you guys are right….

Chapter Eighteen: Of Stuff and Nonsense

Sirius guffawed loudly, and Lily quickly pushed herself away, blushing a deep crimson that one usually only sees on autumn leaves. James also felt the color rising in his cheeks, but fought it down by biting his lower lip until it bled. Remus was fighting down an odd mixture between a laugh and a grimace, while Peyton and Taryn were watching with bemused smiles.

The rest of the day passed in awkward silence, with Sirius interrupting every so often with snide remarks. Professor Flitwick granted him a weeks worth of detentions (you're nothing but a wrinkled prune with robes and a wand!), while McGonagall just exploded. Apparently the search for the missing students had left her more edgy than most of the teachers.

"Mister Black, if you have the time to make witty remarks about your professors, then I'm sure you will have time to join me for a little chat after class?"

"Lady, I got better things to do with my time than hang around here with your sorry arse."

"MISTER BLACK!" The anger and power in her voice sent a shock wave over the class. Even James's beetle stopped scuttling across the desk (though that might have been because Lily had misfired a freezing charm).

"IF YOU DARE TO SPEAK TO ME IN THAT INSOLENT TONE AGAIN YOU SHALL FIND _YOUR 'SORRY ARSE' EXPELLED FROM THIS SCHOOL BEFORE YOU CAN SAY 'FLIBBERTYGIBBIT' IF YOUR INEXPLICABLY SMALL MIND CAN PROCESS THAT INFORMATION." There was a stunned silence, in which neither student nor teacher moved a muscle, though Lily was saying a little prayer under her breath. She opened her mouth to speak, but Sirius saw, and quickly spoke._

"I'm very sorry Professor, and it won't happen again." The whole time he was staring straight into Lily's eyes, mentally telling her to back off.

"Erm-professor?" squeaked a voice.

"WHAT IS IT NOW PETTIGREW? HAVE YOU MANAGED TO COMPLETE THE TASK? BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE, THEN I WILL BE GREATLY SURPRISED."

"N-no ma'am," he quivered. "I was just wondering if I could use the restroom, if you don't mind."

"Fine, Pettigrew. Just go."

At the end of the lesson, Lily hung around to wait for Sirius after his lovely little chat with Professor McGonagall. When he exited the classroom looking ashen, Lily went over to him and asked for an explanation.

"Why're you taking all the blame? It's my bloody fault, Siri. Just tell them what I did and be done with it."

"Lils!" Sirius sounded hurt. "D'you really think I would do something like that? I can take whatever they throw at me!"

Lily sighed apprehensively. "But Siri, so far today you have lost 50 points from Gryffindor, attained a month and a half's worth of detentions…,"

"Not to mention told off all the professors, burned off Malfoy's eyebrows, and come closer to reaching my goal of most detentions ever," Sirius finished for her. 

"Yes, but all that over a bloody bezoar power prank. Seriously- no, don't even think of it- I'll tell them all what I did." Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by someone jumping out of a statue of a large badger right into their path.

"So," sneered a voice, "the little mudblood put bezoar powder in the idiot's breakfast? Well, well. Wouldn't want any teachers to find out about that now would we?"

"Oh bugger off, Malfoy," spat Sirius.

"I do believe I will." And with that, the little git began sprinting down the corridor, a malicious smile playing across his face.

"STUPEFY!"

Malfoy fell face forward onto the floor. Sirius and Lily sprinted up to him. They hovered over him for a bit.

"Roll 'im over."

"Me? I'm not touching that thing!" Lily sighed again and bent down over Malfoy's limp body, rolling him over onto his back. Suddenly, Professor Metus came tottering down the hall. She appeared to be dragging something behind her, but the children couldn't see what. She stopped short at the sight of them, but quickly regained her composure and walked up to them.

"Well, what seems to be the problem laddies?" Sirius opened his mouth, but Lily got there first.

"We were playing a game of tag, and he was running down the hall, but he tripped over that suit of armor over there and hit his head on the floor. He might be a little dizzy after that spill he took, and he'll probably spout quite a bit of nonsense for several days. That was a pretty hard fall he had."

A slow smile spread across Metus's round face. "Well, I'd better take 'im to the Hospital Wing, then," she offered. Sirius and Lily glanced at each other.

"No, that's okay. You probably need to get down to dinner. We'll take him," Lily insisted. 

"LET ME TAKE HIM!" said Metus forcefully. Lily took a step back at the note of animosity in her usually soft voice.

"That's alright. WE will take him. We've already eaten. Besides, I thought I overheard Dumbledore saying that he wants a word with you," interjected Sirius, already performing the 'Wingardium Leviosa' spell on Malfoy. Lily could detect a glimmer of fear in Metus's eyes, and she wondered why.

"Well, if the headmaster wants to see me," began Metus. "You two had better take that boy directly to the Hospital Wing. He's got a nasty bruise forming already."

"Yes ma'am," they chorused, exhausted with relief.

They spent the next half hour pushing Malfoy up to the Hospital Wing (they had to stop a few times and hex him again) and explaining to Madam Pompfrey exactly why he was unconscious. By the time they got back to the Common Room, they were tired, hungry, and sweaty. Not a good combination. 

Instead of going to her dorm, Lily simply followed Sirius back up to his. The guys were all in their boxers, and therefore got a huge shock when Lily walked in. She was too grumpy to be amused. Ignoring Peter, James, and Remus's outcries of horror (not to mention Sirius's sniggering), she grabbed a pillow off the nearest bed (it was James's) and propped herself up against the window.

"What d'you think Metus was doing, Siri? I didn't think she was that weird…"

"Yeah, I guess she was just having an off day or something, I mean why the hell would she want to take Malfoy to the Hospital Wing anyways?" Sirius flopped down on his bed, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

"Hey," interjected Remus after pulling on some pants. "Did you guys hear? Another student went missing. Some second year Hufflepuff girl, Jamie something-or-other…Dumbledore told us at lunch."

Lily gasped quietly, and muttered, "Oh my God."

"What is it Lily?" asked Peter.

"Oh, nothing. Well, I've got to go. 'Night." She hurriedly rushed out of the room, but didn't go to the girls' dorm. Instead, she crept down to the Common Room, and waited in front of the fire.

She spent the time waiting for the Common Room to empty going over everything she knew about Metus in her mind.

1. She was a Herbology witch who graduated from Hogwarts several years ago, but just got the teaching job last year

2. She had been distant in all of her classes lately

3. What was she trying to do with Malfoy…

4………………………………

"Lils?" Lily could've sworn she heard someone calling her name. "Lily? Hello?" Yup, someone was definitely calling her name. Wearily lifting one eyelid, James's face came into focus. 

"Whassit?" she muttered incoherently, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Realizing that she wasn't in her bed, Lily sat up immediately, only to discover she had a horrible crick in her neck. Apparently she had fallen asleep in the chair last night.

"Lily, what're you doing down here?" James sat down in the seat opposite her. Obviously he had come down to wait for Jessie, but she wasn't there yet.

"Oh, um…I can't really remember." James raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Well, I think I came down here last night, but I fell asleep or something…"

James obviously not buying it, just waved her words off. "Yeah, whatever Evans. Shouldn' you get to bed then? It nearly six o'clock." Nodding sleepily, Lily meandered up the staircase, stopping when James called her name.

"What is it then, Potter?"

"Well, I was…erm, well, was Jessie down here earlier?" Lily grinned toothily.

"Ah yes, she left a message with me. Said that she was eloping to France with a Ravenclaw and wanted me to tell you good-bye." Lucky for Lily she still had enough energy to dodge up the stairs (hooting with laughter), evading James's hex.

Fortunately, the next day was a Saturday, giving Lily a chance to regain her lost sleep. Most Unfortunately, however, she woke up with purple skin. Growling angrily, she stalked out of the room, only after trying various different types of potions, none of which seemed to work. She stormed directly into the boys dormitory, giving Peter the fright of his life, and Sirius a bad case of the giggles. In no mood for tormentation (owing, no doubt, to lack of rest), she proceeded to give Sirius the wedgie of his life, after which he swore (in a slightly higher voice than usual) to help her get her skin back to normal. 

James, in a move of great intelligence, stayed away from the Girls' dormitories for the rest of the day, but every time he caught a glimpse of red, he jumped a bit. Then later, when he collided with a little first year named Bill Weasley, he almost had a heart attack at the sight of his shaggy red hair.

After apologizing profusely to poor little Bill, James deemed it safer to just stay in his room the rest of the day, which he did. That was a pity though, because it turned out that it just happened to be Halloween. 

"Damn it!" he said after Sirius explained to him what he missed.

"Sorry man. Oh yeah, and Lily wanted me to give you a message…" Sirius fumbled around in his pocket and produced a crimson envelope. James took it dubiously, and then dropped it immediately as though he had been burned.

"Ah," said Peter wisely. "It's a howler."

"Well that's obvious isn't it?" snapped James. He tentatively opened the envelope (knowing full well what would happen if he didn't) and they all plugged their ears.

"JAMES YOU BLOODY IDIOT! I MANAGED TO GET THE PURPLE OUT EVENTUALLY, THOUGH IT MIGHT PLEASE YOU TO KNOW THAT I NOW HAVE PURPLE FRECKLES. IT MIGHT NOT PLEASE YOU TO KNOW, HOWEVER, THAT I FULLY INTEND TO GET REVENGE. AND IF YOU THINK WHAT I DID TO SIRIUS WAS BAD, YOU HAVE ANOTHER THING COMING." Lily's shriek, intensified by magic was still echoing around the dorm when James collapsed onto his bed.

"I'm so dead," he mumbled. Sirius patted him on the head comfortingly.

"Hey dude, if she kills you, can I have your broomstick?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lily hadn't forgotten about Professor Metus. That night, she made plans to go 'maraudering' about the castle, getting Taryn to cover for her. Thankfully, the Common Room emptied early so Lily managed to slip off by eleven o'clock. She spent the next few hours trying to find Metus' office. Assuming that it would be near the Hufflepuffs' dormitory she carefully made her way to the Great Hall and walked off in a direction she had never been before, but had seen the Hufflepuffs going into nearly every morning. Unfortunately, everything looks different in the dark, and Lily hit dead ends several times. When she was just about to give up, she heard a noise that sounded suspiciously like someone stubbing their toes. Lily immediately dodged into the nearest doorway easing it shut just as a shadow rounded the corner. 

Gasping with relief at the fact that it was a real door she had slipped into Lily listen at the keyhole until she was sure the footsteps were gone. Breathing heavily, Lily turned the knob and pushed out. Nothing happened. Rattling the doorknob angrily, she lunged at the door, but to no avail. Quickly searching her dressing robe, Lily realized that her wand was still sitting up on her bed side table.

Groaning angrily, she slammed her forehead against the door and slumped down with her back to it, whamming her head against it, not caring who heard. 

Ten painful minutes later, she heard the footsteps again, but continued slamming her head backwards, praying that it wouldn't be Filch or Centia. The footfalls slowed down and stopped in front of the door. Something knocked timidly at it.

"Erm-hello?" Lily thought for a second. Hadn't she heard that voice before? "Hallo, is anyone there?" This time she was certain. Springing to her feet, Lily pressed her mouth to the keyhole and whispered through it.

"Potter? Potter, is that you?" On the other side of the door, James jumped about a foot in the air.

"Evans?" he cried incredulously. "Jeez Lily, what're you doing there?"

"Oh, I'm having a party," Lily snapped sarcastically. "What do you think I'm doing, idiot, I'm stuck here." 

"Oh. Right then." James backed up a bit, and raised his wand. "Alohomora!" Nothing seemed to happen. Lily jiggled the doorknob again helplessly. 

"Damn it," she muttered. "Try again Potter." James stepped closer to the door and muttered several words that Lily couldn't hear. Suddenly, the door sprang open and Lily tumbled out, knocking into James. Without thinking, she hugged him fiercely around the neck. After she let go, she looked at James' face for a moment. He was staring down at Lily, startled. 

That's really odd, he thought. Maybe I should rescue her more often.

Now why the hell would you want to do that, the other half of his brain wondered.

Lily saw him shake his head, and wondered if there was something wrong. She shrugged the thought off and they walked back to the Common Room in silence.

"Lamarama," James muttered tiredly to the Fat Lady.

"Precisely," she countered sleepily. They both gave a nervous laugh at her expense as they climbed the staircase, but Lily stopped James at the parting of the steps. 

"So James, I was planning revenge for this morning, and I was wondering," Lily said briskly, with the air of someone inquiring about one's health, "which would you prefer: Orange hair, or red ears, hands, and feet." James was about to respond when she interrupted him. "Actually those aren't the choices. They are now public humiliation, or me showing either your bunny pajamas with the footies to Jessie, or showing that picture of you picking your nose that Sirius so kindly let me copy to Jessie. I'll give you the night to sleep on it."

And with that Lily flounced into her room, leaving a terrified, aghast James staring after her.

A/N HALLO TO ALL! I AM IN A CAPITOL LETTERS MOOD. NOW I WILL PROCEED TO THE REVIEWS— Elfmoon87- Lily's not like inLOVE with Jamsie(yet!). That'll take awhile. For now, just call it (a little too)friendly concern. Oh, BTW, you just happened to be my 100th reviewer! So if u want a cameo thingy, just answer these: Which House do you wanna be in? What year? Quidditch or no? Hair color? Eye color? Who's your favorite marauder? Okay then. Review soon! Katie Bell- thanks! Please keep reading! Braney- okay, FYI, most poodles ARE made out of hair. Unless they are the scary kind with everything shaved except the pompoms on their tail and stuff. Okay. About all of the countdown reviews and stuff- do you want an honorary cameo for being so kind (not to mention my bestest reviewer?)? Think about it and let me know. If you do, then answer all the questions I asked Elfmoon87, k? Thanks a bunch! shamock-  I'll keep writing if you keep reviewing! Between u and me, I'm already working on Chappie numero 20, but I can never find the time to update…*sigh*. Oh well. Fluffy the Teddy Bear Slayer- okay. I am now going to show you the alphabet. Please read it and next time, communicate you review by arranging these letters into comprehensible words, okay? Here we go: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z.  starborn-Glad to help you in pissing off your friends. Me and my friends motto is "Pissing people off since the Second Age" or "Corrupting Young Minds since the Second Age." Take your pick. 


	19. Of The NotSoSecret Chamber

Disclaimer: It. Is. Not. Mine.

Chapter Nineteen: Of the not-so-secret Chamber

"So, when you add three cups of porkwig's crumb with a droplet of dragon saliva…" Lily could feel her brain beginning to atrophy as Professor Centia droned on and on. Suddenly, a paper ball thwacked her squarely between the eyes. Refocusing her eyes, Sirius's grinning face came into view. Giving him the evil eye, Lily deftly unrolled the note and slipped it under the table.

**Lily-flower~**

**       How was the Christmas vacation? Is your dad doing okay? Why don't you get your family a bloody owl so that they can write you at school? Did you get loads of stuff? Candy? Anything useful? Isn't this class crappy? Seriously (SIRIUSLY), could he be more boring? D'you think he went to school to learn how to terrorize and bore students to death? How're things with Jamsie? Has he forgiven you yet for hanging his footie pajamas on the Quidditch goalposts? You'll never guess what Jamsie got for Christmas! It's an In-**

"Miss Evans, what are you reading?" Lily jumped guiltily and crumpled the note quickly. 

"Nothing professor," she said easily, lacing her voice with sweetness.

Unfortunately, Centia was immune to tricks such as these. "Give it to me," he commanded irately. Lily quickly brought her hands onto the table, and in the act of rearranging them angelically, shoved the note into the fire beneath her cauldron. Smiling as she watched the writing become engulfed by flames, Lily became prim and proper once again.

"But professor, I don't have anything! Honest, I promise I don't!" smiling beatifically, Lily risked a small wink in Sirius' direction, who was stuffing his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing. Obviously, _he_ had seen where the paper had gone.

Growling, Centia told Lily to turn out her pockets. Working hard to keep her face straight, Lily removed a jar with an emerald flame in it from before Christmas break when they were having a snowball fight on the grounds and needed a lantern, Defense Against the Dark Arts homework, her wand, a sugar quill wrapper (one of the many she had received from Remus for Christmas), and enormous amounts of lint.  

Disgruntled at this new discovery, yet determined to take points from Gryffindor, Centia snatched up the candy wrapper. "Ten points from Gryffindor. No candy allowed in class."

"But I didn't eat it in class! I ate it last night but I couldn't find a garbage bin!" Lily cried indignantly. Centia didn't even acknowledge her words. Five minutes later when Sirius caught up with Lily in the corridor she was still grumbling.

"Took away all the points I got in Charms, evil, conniving, biased, bast-"

"Hey Lily?"

"Oh, hallo Sirius." Lily instantly forgot her anger. "I didn't finish reading the whole thing, and there was something about a Christmas gift of James's. What did it say?" Glancing around furtively, Sirius dragged her into a painting in the Entrance Hall.

"Hey!" Lily cried. "I didn't know this was here!" Beginning to climb the steep staircase, Sirius followed.

"Lily, this place is not the point, the point is-" He was cut off when Lily banged her head against a trap door. 

"Where does this go?" she mused, more to herself than to Sirius. Pushing up on it lightly, Lily opened it a crack and gasped. Pushing it open all of the way, she climbed out, letting slam down behind her.

"Lily?" Sirius bellowed. "Lily? Hallo? WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" He pushed up on the trap door, but could only open it a crack. It appeared that Lily was sitting on top of it. Suddenly losing bravado, Sirius leaned against the wall, whimpering. "I never liked the dark. It's very-well…dark." The trapdoor reopened from the other side, letting two dancing green eyes peer in.

"Shall I go get your teddy? Mr. Snuggles, is it?" Lily snipped teasingly as she let Sirius out.

"HOW'D YOU KNOW ABOUT MR. SNUGGLES?" Sirius roared before he realized that there was someone else in the room that they were in. It was Peyton. She had her lips pressed firmly together, concealing her mirth. Sirius was about to ask Lily how in the hell they had gotten into her dorm, but then he remembered a conversation he had had with James early last year.

"Yes, well, I found this brilliant secret passage in the Great Hall. All you have to do is walk right through a painting of a dragon that is really just a wall pretending and climb up these stairs and you're in the window seat of the girls' dorm!" Sirius slapped his forehead. Without thinking he had just shown Lily their secret. Not that they had used it in a while, but still. DAMN!

Lily grabbed Sirius' robe and yanked him out of the room, dragging him into his dorm. She slammed the door and rounded on him.

         "Why didn't you _tell me that there was a secret entrance to our room? Have you been spying on us? When did you find out about this? What've you been using it for?"_

         Then Peter walked in, took one look around, and promptly walked right back out. Sirius took advantage of the silence.

         "Breathe, Lily. We didn't tell you because we didn't want to, we haven't been spying on you, we found out in first year, and we haven't used it for anything aside from the blue-hair escapade. Now would you like me to tell you what it said in that note?" Lily just nodded mutely, still glowering, and sat down on the nearest bed. Sirius sat down beside her and moved closer to whisper in her ear. At that very moment James walked in. He took careful note of the position the two were in, his jaw dropped, and he walked out, closing the door quietly. 

          Whoa, he thought. Lily and Siri? Nah…it must've been…something else. Yeah, that's it. Something else. Even as he thought it he knew it sounded stupid. Shaking his head he walked away, it would never happen. But as he was about to go down to the Common Room, he stopped and looked back at the closed door. Siri and Lily?

         Inside the room, Lily bounded off the bed, jumping up and down.

         "_Are you serious?_" she squealed. Sirius got off the bed and jumped with her.

         "YES I'M SIRIUS!" he bellowed. Lily either didn't notice, or she didn't care that he had just done it again, so she kept on bouncing. Remus suddenly appeared in the doorway. After thinking about it for a second, he shrugged his shoulders and jumped over to them so they were all bouncing around together. 

         After five minutes of bouncing, Remus asked, "Why, exactly, are we bouncing?"

         "Because of what Potter got for Christmas!" Lily answered, twirling as she jumped.

         "And what exactly did he get for Christmas?" Remus questioned.

         "An _Invisibility Cloak!" Lily replied. Remus froze in mid-jump, falling straight out of the air._

         "Are you-?" he looked up at Sirius from the ground. "Are you joking?" he asked, incredulous.

          "NOPE! ISN'T IT GREAT?" they shouted simultaneously. 

         "WAAHOO!" Remus began to hop around in a most un-Remus-like manner until he finally ran out of energy. Only then did James walk back into the room. Lily thought that he had a very odd look on his face, but she didn't care at the moment she ran up to him and squealed.

         "I can't believe you got-" Lily took careful note of the open door, "THAT for Christmas! That's brilliant! Now we can pull pranks all bloody night long and no one can catch us! They won't even be able to SEE us! YIPEE!"

         "Sirius, must you tell everyone," James said with the air of someone trying to conceal amusement with disdain. 

         "Well, Lily-flower here is one of us. Jeez James, you'd think a guy could remember that his own _crush was a part of the Marauders…"_

"I don't like Lily!" James bellowed, perhaps with a bit more venom than necessary.

"Well, thanks a bunch," Lily said. "It's always nice for a girl to feel _loved and appreciated." She stuck her tongue out and flipped her braided pig-tails. James rolled his eyes and looked around. His eyes came to rest on Remus. _

"Remus, isn't there a full moon tonight?" he asked casually. Remus slapped his forehead. 

"Damn it," he muttered. "Why tonight? I still haven't finished that report on the Goblin wars for Professor Binns. Does anyone think that he looks paler than usual today?"

"He did look a bit sick, but who cares? He'd keep on teaching even if he died. Want me to finish your report for you?" asked Lily. "Mine's already five feet."

"How do you do that?" asked Sirius. "All he wanted was three feet! I've only got 13 inches so far!" 

"Copy off mine," James said, waving his hand impatiently. Just then Peter burst into the room again, this time with a look of terror upon his pudgy face. 

"Did you hear?" he wheezed, hands on his knees gasping for breath.

"Hear what?" Lily inquired sharply.

"Another one disappeared, but this time, it was a prefect. From Ravenclaw." Lily felt her stomach drop.

"D-did they say a name?"

"Yes. It was…erm…English, I think." Lily let a sniffle escape her.

"Some one you knew?" Remus asked kindly.

"Yeah. I rode in the cart with her on the way to school…I-" Lily heard her voice break and stopped talking, furiously rubbing her eyes. She wasn't about to cry in front of all them. James' voice broke into her misery.

"Do any of you remember what I said about helping Remus last year?"

"Erm…no."

"Well, I said that we could become Animagi to make the transformations easier and stuff," said James.

"Yes, and I remember telling you that that was damn near impossible," said Lily thickly.

"Well it isn't," retorted James. He pulled a book out from under his pillow and flipped open to a page. He cleared his throat and began to read.

"To become an animagus one must be a talented witch or wizard, as well as having ministry approval and supervision-"

"Keep in mind that we have neither of those things," Sirius pointed out. "And it's not like the ministry's going to let a bunch of stupid second years do one of the most complex things a wizard can do."

"Siri, shut up and let him finish." Lily leaned forward intently, eyes still glistening and eager for a challenge. "Go on Potter."

James cleared his throat again. "The witch or wizard has to be able to complete the complex Metamorphose Potion, perform transfiguration on human beings, as well as perform a Cranial Charm, and do all of this inside of a shield that will keep all magic inside with no leaks." James looked up. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us."

Lily automatically whipped out a piece of parchment and a Sugar Quill and began writing after biting off the tip. "So, Remie can do that boundary thing- he's the best in Defense class, Siri can do the potion, though I expect you'll have to break into Centia's private stores for half the stuff-"

"EXCELLENT!"

"Potter can do Transfiguration, and I'll take the Charm." They all sat in silence until Lily piped up. "Well, what're we waiting for? To the Library!"

Sirius yawned and checked his watch. "Later Lils. Like, later tomorrow. It's nine thirty and I'm beat." Lily sniffed huffily.

"Fine. Sour Dreams to the lot of you." She strode off to her dormitory, brushed off Peyton and Taryn's attempts at conversation, and set her watch for midnight. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At midnight, Lily was awoken to the beeping of her watch. Yawning half-heartedly, she stumbled into the bathroom and splashed several handfuls of cold water into her face, startling herself awake. Remembering what had happened the last time she had gone on a midnight walk without it, Lily quickly stuffed her wand into her pajama pants pocket before leaving the room. Making her bare-footed way to the portrait hole, Lily was stopped by a quiet voice.

"And where do you think you're going?" She whirled around guiltily, an alibi already formed.

"Well, I was-" she stopped short. "James you idiot, you nearly scared me out of my mind!"

James grinned. "But Evans, that implies that you have a mind to begin with." Lily pulled an offended face and started out the door. "Where're you going?"

"Well, I'm not going to stand around and be insulted all night, am I? What were you doing down here anyways?"

"Well…I was…I was…erm…" Lily raised an eyebrow and tapped a foot impatiently.

"Is that the best you got, Potter?"

"Fine," James grumbled. "I was going to the Library to look up animagus stuff. You?" Lily sighed. 

"Well, you're probably not going to believe me, but I think I know who's behind the kidnappings."

"Are you serious? Lily- but…how do you know? I can't believe- how long have you known? Who is it?"

"Well, it's just a guess, but I really think that it's," Lily glanced around the room, checking for other people. James looked as well. "Well, I think that it's Professor Metus." James let out a snort of laughter. "Fine, I knew you wouldn't believe me. I'm off then. Goodnight, Potter." She spat out his name as if it were poisonous and left the room quickly. Lily was halfway down the hall when someone poked her shoulder. She whipped around, but no one was there. Furrowing her brow, Lily kept walking, but now she was on the alert. The next time the thing poked her she had jumped around and grabbed it before it could move away.

Feeling fabric under her fingers, Lily grinned triumphantly and snatched the invisibility cloak off of James. He grimaced.

"Beginners luck," he grumbled. "Can I have my cloak back now?"

"No," Lily said, swirling the fluid cloak about her shoulders and letting it settle there. "I'm going to find out about Metus. So either you're coming with me under the cloak, or you're going to the Library without it." Snarling something incomprehensive under his breath James snatched at where he thought Lily was. She danced away quickly. "Uh-uh-uh! What's it gonna be Potter?"

"Fine," he snapped. "I'll go to Metus' office with you." Lily opened one side of the cloak and James slipped in beside her. They didn't speak all the way down to the Great Hall aside from the occasional 'Geroff my foot you great oaf' and 'stop hogging all the cloak, my toes are showing'. The unlikely team then set off down the southern-more corridor where the Hufflepuffs usually disappeared after dinner. They wandered around for awhile until they saw the enormous statue of a badger where Malfoy had surprised Lily and Sirius a several months before. James stopped in front of it abruptly. So abruptly that Lily kept on going and walked right out of the cloak. Snatching back for it immediately she whispered furiously.

"Why'd you stop?"

"Okay, time for a little quiz Evans. What's the symbol of the Hufflepuff house?"

"A badger. Now let's keep going. What if Filch catches us?"

"I'm not done with the quiz yet. Now answer me this- what is this statue of?"

"A badger, but what does that-….oooooooohhhhhh."

"Yeah…now, what d'you think that a likely password would be?" They spent the next ten minutes standing in front of the stature blurting out the first thing that came to mind.

"Jelly slug."

"Potato bug."

"Mayonnaise."

"Xylophone."

"Zebra."

"Ob-la-dee-ob-la-da."

Finally Lily sighed in exasperation and said, "Would you move please?" The badger slipped backwards into the wall, showing them a small hole with a flight of stairs going downwards. James insisted on going first, and slowly crept down the steps with Lily right behind him. They slipped into an oval room filled with the soft light from a blazing fire. 

The room was filled with loads of interesting plants, some in special ecosystems designed especially for them, and neat stacks of papers were piled up on all of the desks pushed up against the pale yellow walls. 

"Yes Lily, this room is clearly the room of the evil person who kidnapped our friends. Notice the pastel wall coverings and the fluffy rug. Yes, those are the true marks of a villainous master mind."

"Shut it Potter. Just look around for a trap door or something." They went around tapping walls and looking under tables for a good thirty minutes before Lily gathered her wits and cast a handy revealing charm. Suddenly, the wall behind James became semi-transparent with golden sparks around it, indicating a spell. James whistled is amazement.

"That's some spell," he muttered to himself. He leaned closer to inspect it. "At least three layers. Can't image what she would need it for…"

"Gee, I don't know Potter. Maybe that's where she _keeps the kids she kidnapped_?" James nodded, astonished.

"You were right. For the first time…help me break this would you?"

"Sure." The two tried a combination of different charms and spells, but none worked. Finally, when they used Alohomora and the Breaking charm together, the wall cracked open. Pushing at the two pieces stubbornly until the had made a gap wide enough for Lily to slip through, she went in, leaving James waiting outside. 

"If I'm not back in ten minutes, get the hell out of here and tell a teacher," Lily admonished before she slunk down the grimy hallway. At the very end of the tunnel she could see a light that was growing steadily stronger as she approached. At the arched edge of the tunnel Lily stopped short to peer stealthily about the edge, whishing desperately that she had thought to bring the Invisibility Cloak. As she looked around, she allowed herself a sharp intake of breath as she realized what she was seeing. 

Lily herself was standing on a ledge near a twenty foot drop. At the bottom there were eleven people hanging by their hands that were chained to the wall. From this point, Lily couldn't tell if they were alive, unconscious, or- she shuddered at the thought- dead. At the last second, she realized there was something moving down there. A black cloaked something with their wand at the ready. Too late, Lily realized that the something has its ghoulishly white face pointed straight up at her. 

Lily gave an ungainly jump, and started running for al she was worth, not bothering to muffle her footsteps any longer. She ran towards the door as quickly as she could and she was almost there went her legs stopped working. Scared out of her mind, she squeaked for James.

"James? Potter? Are you there?"

"Lily? What's going on?" he sounded genuinely concerned.

"Get the hell outta here. I'm trapped."

"What're you talking about? Come out now. It's not funny."

"I'M NOT JOKING! The stupid death eater got me and she right behind me. Just GO! Now you know the truth and-" As a gag flew around her mouth and cold hands gripped her, Lily could hear James still pounding at the wall. 

Damn James and damn his bloody noble shit, Lily thought. Thankfully the Death Eater didn't hear him. He (She?) was too intent on his (her?) newest captive.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" said a cold voice that sent shivers down Lily's spine.

A/N Hallo to all! Sorry for taking so long to upload—exams next week. God save my soul. But after exams It'll be summer so I'll have some time to do serious writing. Oh- I'll be going to Costa Rica for 2 weeks and then camp for 5 ½ weeks this year, so I'll be sending my chappies to a friend who will upload them for me. Unfortunately this could make replying to reviews a little hard, but we'll get there. Now onto the reviews—Felicity- notta problem! Thanx for reviewing! Iza- well, I'm no Trelawny, but has I have written up to Chapter Twenty-Two I _could_ tell you the answer. Could, but won't. Oh well. You'll just have to keep reading. Fluffy the Teddy Bear Slayer- Whoa. English. Words in English. Comprehensible words in English. Wow. Too bad about that button though… starborn- :*P Braney- I loved the dancing bulbs too! I was just sitting at the computer and I had a little *lightbulb* moment. I know an evil poodle too! She bit me after a soccer game when I was four and I had the scars until I was in fourth grade. YEAS! It's so cool to be someones favorite author! *little happy dance* Tomoyo Sakura- coming right up! I have all these great ideas, I just can't write fast enough! Elfmoon87- Allllllrighty then! You probably wont be in the next two chappies b/c they're already written (sorry) but I'll work you in asap!

I LUV Y'ALL! KEEP READING & KEEP REVIEWING!

**I am SSSSOOOOOOO sorry about screwing up that last chappie thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! I feel awful!!!!!!!!!!!! SORRY!!!!!!!!!******


	20. Of Rescues and Levitation

Disclaimer- not mine.

Chapter Twenty: Of Rescue and Levitation

When he heard Lily's muffled screaming, James went into a state of shock. He didn't even realize that he had run out of the room until he arrived at the Portrait Hole. Fortunately, James had brought the Invisibility Cloak back with him. Unfortunately, the Fat Lady had gone off on a midnight visit to one of her friends leaving James stuck outside in his school trousers and a large t-shirt. 

James felt like he must have waited for hours, and the hallways were beginning to lighten with the rising sun as the fat lady finally drifted back into her frame. Yawning so hard he could barely speak and eyes swollen with lack of sleep, James mumbled out 'Eenie Meenie Minie Mo' and stumbled into the Common Room. Not noticing that he was not alone, James just staggered up to the dorm, letting the door slam shut behind him. Sirius groaned and rolled over at the sound, but Peter didn't even budge. Remus, of course, was off being a wolf.

"Wassa matta?" Sirius asked thickly. James was silent for a moment, letting the events of the last few hours really sink in, pinching himself to make sure this wasn't just a bad dream. With renewed energy, James leapt over to Sirius and shook him awake.

"Sirius, Sirius you have to wake up! Something really bad just happened and I know who the kidnapper is and Lily's been kidnapped and it's Metus and there was a Death Eater and there's a Badger and and and…." Sirius sat up abruptly and stared at James.

"Okay, repeat what you said, but slower, and in comprehensible sentences."

"Right then. Lily. And. I. Found. Out. Who. The. Kidnapper. Is."

"Are you serious?" Sirius breathed. "I can't believe- hang on a tic. Where's Lil?"

"Well, that's the bad part. She's been-" Just then Remus fell into the room looked ashen and fragile, his sandy hair askew. 

"Remus, are you alright?" Peter's squeaky voice piped up from his bed. 

"Yeah," he wheezed in a barely audible voice. "I just wish they would keep me further away from Hogsmeade…I could smell the blood all night…" The three boys gave a collective shudder at the thought. After assuring himself that Remus was alright, Sirius returned his attention to James.

"James, are you sure that that wasn't just a dream or something?"

"NO! You have to listen to me. Metus is the kidnapper. Lily was taken by a Death Eater down a secret passage in her office. She might be being tortured right now…or she might even be- she might be-" James couldn't bring himself to say it.

"J-James? What're you talking about?" James could see the fear in little Peter's eyes.

"Yes, this better not be your idea of a joke, James. Because I don't find it in the least bit funny." Remus was looking deadly serious.

"Listen, if you just come with me then I'll show you. But we have to have a plan first or we'll be taken too. Who do we know that's missing?" Still skeptical, the others made a list of all the known missing students.

"Carolina."

"That Oliver kid."

"That hot Ravenclaw…erm…Padma McMillan?"

 "Lily's friend English."

 "The Hufflepuff girl, Jamie…Jamie…Jamie something-or-other."

"Louis Steinbeck. Gryffindor Fifth Year."

"Olivia Beckman. She's Artemis's girlfriend. Didn't have practice after she disappeared."

"That weird Hufflepuff with the funky name…Mundungulus or something…"

"Mauricia Klein."

"Ali Graham…wasn't she that blonde always hanging on Malfoy?"

"Patty Franklin…Gryffindor first year."

"I think that's it. Well, get your wands and let's go."

"James, shouldn't we get a teacher?" whimpered Peter.

"Petey, if we wait for a professor, they'll have probably moved the people since they know that we know where they're hiding everyone."

"Not to mention they wouldn't believe us," Sirius chimed in. 

"Then what're we waiting for?" growled Remus. "James get your cloak. Can we all fit under it?" James nodded and flung the cloak about all of them.

"I didn't know you have an Invisibility Cloak!" exclaimed Peter as they walked out the door.

"Peter?" Sirius whispered.

"Yeah?" he whispered back.

"Shut up," James, Sirius, and Remus replied in unison. In twenty minutes they were standing in front of the badger.

"Open please," James commanded. The badger didn't move.

"Jaaaames, it's not ooopeniiiiiing…." 

"Sirius shut it. I'm trying to remember what the hell it was that Lily said."

"Right then."

Then Peter whispered, "Would you move please?" The badger slunk back into the wall, revealing the staircase. The boys turned to stare at Peter. "What?" he asked. "Sirius was standing on my foot!" Giving a collective snort of relief and laughter, they all slipped down the stairs. However, the Cloak couldn't quite fit over four twelve-year-old boys moving in single file, so every so often one of James' legs became visible, along with Peter's tail-end. 

They entered the warm room one right after the other. James was so preoccupied that he didn't even notice a tall-backed easy chair where there hadn't been a chair before. James stopped short, causing the others to slam into him. Maintaining his balance by grabbing onto the nearest tabletop, James slipped out of the Cloak and walked up to the wall beside the fireplace. The whole wall beside the fireplace. No cracks. 

"Damn it," he muttered.

"What?" asked Remus, stepping up beside him.

"The wall. Me and Lily broke it open, and it's not open anymore."

"Braccio Maximo!" shouted Remus loudly. The wall formed a hairline crack.

"Nice one," commented Sirius. "Let's all try it. On three. One…Two…"

"BRACCIO MAXIMO!" The wall crumbled into tiny pieces before there eyes.

"Groovy." They all turned to stare at Peter.

"What? Me sister's a squib, and that's what all the muggles say. She wouldn't stop saying it all Holiday."

"I didn't know your sister was a squib," Remus said.

"Twin sister, actually. But yeah, she is…" James walked forward into the rubble settling around them and started off down the passageway. The others soon followed and gasped at the sight. There were now twelve bodies chained to the walls, but one was alive and kicking. Screaming and kicking, to be precise. Lily was hanging by her chained hands, toes barely scraping the ground and shrieking in pain. A sickening yellow jet of light connected her writhing body to the Death Eater. Suddenly, the curse stopped and Lily ceased screaming, breathing heavily.

"Who was your accomplice this morning, mudblood?" said the Death Eater menacingly.

"I-I-…I told you. I didn't have an accomplice," Lily wheezed out, face scrunched up against the pain. Her wand was lying on the ground in front of her and her hair and robes were singed.

"And I told you that you were a lying, little, worthless, good-for-nothing, mudblood," the Death Eater threatened. "Now tell me who it was. Or would a little more pain do the trick?"

Lily muttered something incoherent. 

"What did you say?" her tormentor snarled.

"Do your worst." Lily snipped, bracing herself for an attack. "Bitch."  

"Whoa," the boys breathed as one. As another jet of light shot straight for Lily's chest, the marauders minus two just about lost it. James took a deep breath and stepped off of the edge, landing with a cat's grace (not to mention a couple of bruises). The Death Eater whirled around. The curse broke contact with Lily's body and fixed it's malice on James. He bit his lips until they bled to keep from allowing the creature the pleasure of hearing him scream. White hot knives were piercing his flesh, his skin was being ripped from his body, all while he was drowning in pain. Suddenly, James could breathe again. His limbs were still shaking and he had a hard time standing, but he was alive. The pain was gone. 

Sirius was sitting on top of a stunned Cloaked figure, while Remus and Peter were busy unchaining prisoners and lowering them gently to the ground. Most were unconscious, though a precious few were awake enough to realize what was going on. Lily was the first one freed. She sank slowly to her knees after Remus had unlocked her bonds, rubbing her wrists. When James had collected himself, they started setting their minds to the newest problem.

"How the hell're we supposed to get out?" wondered Sirius. Lily got shakily to her feet and pointed her wand at him.

"Wingardium Leviosa," she croaked, her throat raw from screaming. Sirius hovered in the air higher and higher as Lily's wand raised further and further above her head until he was set down gently upon the ledge. Next went the hostages, the unconscious Death Eater, then Peter, Remus, and James. Before she sent James up, however, Lily had something to say to him. 

"James…I-er…well…" Lily hesitated a moment, glancing up at the ledge. Assured that Sirius wasn't looking down, she planted a quick kiss on James' cheek. "Thanks." She whispered before casting the charm.

When James reached the top he kept his face perfectly neutral, though he couldn't help but think- "Whoa". 

After Lily was safely atop the ledge, they started off, leaving the kidnapped ones hovering in front of them. But before they had gone more than three steps, Lily collapsed and could not be roused. The boys were all panicked, terrified that they would lose her after what they had just been through. Fortunately she had just passed out from the pain and the strain of casting that many powerful charms. Remus cast a quick levitation charm on her, adding her body to the group hovering above him. Walking slowly down the passage with the hostages, the boys remained silent. As they got closer to the light of the fire, Sirius checked his watch. 

"It's already ten-thirty!" he told the other boys. "We must've been down here longer than we thought…" As they all contemplated that fact, they finally stepped out into Metus' office. 

"Well now laddies," said a harsh voice, "what 'ave we here?" Peter jumped about five feet into the air as the squat professor emerged from behind the tall chair.

"P-Professor Metus?" squeaked Sirius.

"Yes. And were you going somewhere with these students?" she answered in a voice that made their blood run cold.

"Why did you kidnap them?" Remus asked plainly. 

"Now really Mr. Lupin," Metus said. "You're one of my brightest students. Are you telling me that you motley second years can work out how to break into my office and where the kidnapped students are, but you can't figure out why I did it?"

"No, they can't, Melissa. But I believe I can." They all swirled around hurriedly to see Albus Dumbledore in all of his radiating power and grace standing on the topmost step leading down to her office.

"Headmaster?" whispered Metus, disbelievingly. Without bothering with goodbyes she flung green powder into the fire and stepped in. With a wave of her wand, the Death Eater that James had control over soared to her and the Professor cried, "Little Hangleton!"

Dumbledore sighed, and walked down the rest of the stairs toward the boys. "Usually it is impossible to Floo into or out of the grounds. Voldemort must have someone placed in the Floo Registration Office. I must have a word with Ronald Grempkin. The Minister of Magic, you know." He added at the blank looks upon the boys faces. "Now, let's take these people up to the Hospital wing, while someone explains to me what exactly happened."

"I think that I'd better explain it, Professor," said a quiet voice a good few feet above everybody's heads. Remus lowered Lily gently to the ground, where she had to clutch his arm for support. "You see, it's really my fault that they're here at all."

"And how is that Ms. Evans?" Dumbledore asked quietly, fixing his penetrating eyes on hers. 

"Well, I've suspected Metus since before the Christmas Hols and I never told anyone because I thought they wouldn't believe me. So I kept going about at night looking for anything, a clue or something. Then last night Potter was going out as well, so we went together. He figured out how to get us here and I got us in and we both broke the wall. Then the Death Eater down there," she said, indicating the broken wall, "got me and I sent James back so he wouldn't get caught as well and he brought Sirius and Remus and Peter back with him and they knocked out the Death Eater and freed everyone. They saved my life."

Dumbledore's face remained passive as he nodded acknowledgement. He mutely strode swiftly up the steps. They all followed quietly, Lily still clutching Remus' arm. Halfway up the stairs, Peter tripped and his two charges dropped to the ground. Lily swished her wand to make the closest one, Ali the Slytherin, hover in front of her, waving off Remus' attempt at help. The other fell directly in front of Sirius, so without breaking his hold on the students hovering above his head, he caught the person deftly. It was Carolina. Sirius was shocked to see her face. He hadn't seen her in months and he had almost forgotten it. Gently brushing a stray curly tendril of hair out of Carolina's closed eyes, he started walking back up the stairs, still staring at her, memorizing her features. The delicate little nose and alabaster skin with a light splash of freckles…months of scant food had turned her into little more than a twig. 

They arrived in the Hospital Wing (everyone was still in lessons) much to the surprise of Madam Pompfrey.

"Albus, but this is…YOU FOUND THEM!" she shrieked, astonished. Staring at Lily and James (who were both showing the effects of the Cruciatus Curse) and the kidnapped ones, the blustery nurse quickly prescribed chocolate and a good sleep for all. Dumbledore didn't let them fall asleep right off though.

"Listen to me. What you have just done was foolish. You could have gotten yourselves killed. To put yourself in danger where it can be avoided it the one of the most foolhardy things a person can do, especially when there are people who can help you. People more powerful that can protect you if need be." The quintets' faces fell. These words from Dumbledore were worse than being yelled at. "Yet it was also very commendable, because you each did it to save the life of another. In any other circumstance, I would be forced to deduct points from your House, but you have each proven yourselves to be true Gryffindors at heart, and that more than compensates." Though his craggy face was all serious, Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at each of them. "Now," he continued quietly, "I believe I must go, as there are parents to be notified and students to reassure. Good day."

A/N Okay, I felt so bad about messing up chappie 19 that I just went ahead and did 20 too. 


	21. Of Flowers With Thorns

I DON'T OWN IT YOU DON'T SUE ME

Chapter Twenty-One: Of Flowers with Thorns and WolfBoys with Depression

It at lunch that very afternoon, while the Marauders and the returned kidnapped students were recuperating in the Hospital Wing, that Dumbledore did the one thing that he had sworn to never do. 

"Attention," he said quietly. And he got it. Holding up a small multi-faceted black crystal with one hand and pointing his wand at it with the other, Dumbledore began to speak clearly in a mesmerizing tone. "Your fellow students that you have not seen all year, Oliver Holmes, Carolina Richardson, Mundungus Fletcher, Padma McMillan, Mauricia Klein, Olivia Beckman, Louis Steinbeck, Alexandra Graham, Patty Franklin, English Cook, and Jamie Stuart, have been sick all year with a horrible case of Wizard's Flu and in quarantine all year because it is incurable. Any other rumors that you might have heard are false, and anyone who says something that goes against what I have just told you is wrong." The students eyes were all glued to the crystal, and none could look away, even if they tried. Dumbledore then snapped his wand away, breaking the fine translucent thread of magic that he had been feeding into his Magical Aide. The noise resumed instantly, and no one could really remember what had just happened excepting the professors.

Dumbledore slumped forward in his chair rubbing his temples, eyes closed. McGonagall leaned over and patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"It was the only thing you could do, Albus," she said quietly. "We had to maintain the illusion that the school was safe. It is better this way."

"I know, Minerva," Dumbledore replied, not looking at her. "I just…I wish…ah well. C'est la vie. Could you pass the lamb?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lily awoke to the sound of hushed voices to her left. Not wanting to be awake she groaned at the sunlight seeing through her closed eyelids and rolled onto her other side.

"You wake 'er up."

"No, you."

"Potter, wake up your girlfriend."

"Sirius I swear…"

"Fine, I'll do it." Lily felt herself being poked in the shoulder. She snuggled deeper into the pillow and was poked harder for her pains. 

"I'll give whoever's poking me three seconds to move away or I'll be forced to kill you." Lily heard hastily retreating footsteps and a muffled conference.

"She didn't wake up."

"I, for one, say that we let sleeping dragons lie."

"I heard that," Lily grumbled sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes. Blinking repetitively in the bright sunlight streaming through the dusty windows, Lily focused in on the group of boys huddled near the foot of her bed.

"Well that worked," said Sirius cheerfully. "I'll have to remember that insulting is the best way to get Lily awake." 

"Shattup," Lily said, throwing a pillow at him. Catching it expertly, Sirius tutted and wagged his finger.

"Now Lilikins, you know that throwing projectiles is against school rules," he reprimanded. 

"It's not a projectile, it's a pillow. Siri, shattup before I work up the energy to throw something heavier at you." Sirius shut up. 

"Temper, temper, Lils. You really are a dragon in the morning," said a voice coming from behind Remus. They all jumped and whirled around. Lily leapt out of the Hospital bed and flung her arms around Carolina.

"You're alive, you're alive, you're alive, you're alive!" she squealed ecstatically.

"Stop it you oaf," Carolina sniffed, pushing Lily back, "you're squeezing the tears out…" The guys all averted their gaze awkwardly as the girls just stared at each other happily. 

"Are you okay?" Lily asked quietly. "D'you wanna tell me what went on down there?" Carolina nodded, swallowing hard.

"Well, I don't even really remember how I got captured," she began quietly. Peter, Remus, Sirius, and James all drifted back towards the bed, seating themselves around or on it. "All I remember is walking back to the Common Room after I had to go ask Professor Flitwick something about charms and I saw this shadow move, and then I woke up chained to a wall."

"Wouldn't your arms hurt being locked up like that?" wondered James.

"Well, we were all unconscious half the time except when they forced food with a sleeping draft down our throats. Dunno why they bothered with a guard…we couldn't have fought them after all that…there was something…" she drifted off, apparently thinking hard. 

"There was something…?" Lily prompted expectantly, leaning forward. Carolina snapped back to attention. 

"Oh, nothing. It was nothing." Although this in no way convinced Lily that there was nothing wrong, she knew Carolina well enough that prodding and prying would only clam her up more. "Anyways I can only remember blurs. Like Metus coming down once or twice and gloating…but there was this once…" she shuddered. "There was this once that someone else came. He was really tall and pale and…well…he was creepy. He walked around and looked at everyone of us, talking to us, like."

"What'd he say to you?" demanded Sirius.

"He-he said, 'We could use you, little one. Pity we need you for bait…but things may work out yet'. And then he touched my face and his hand was all cold and sleek…it kind of felt like scales…and then he kept going every time he stopped and looked at the person."  James looked horrified, Sirius was indignant, and Remus was deep in thought. Peter was just plain terrified "And Lils …he- Lily, I'm sorry, but, he killed English." She said motioning towards the still form in the bed nearby. Lily choked back a dry sob.                          "Carolina," he said quietly, "about when did the tall person come?"

"Erm…my time might be a little skewed, but around three months ago, I guess…why?"

"Because I think that that man was Voldemort," Remus replied gravely. Lily's green eyes widened to their fullest and Peter's face paled to sheet white.

"How-how-why d'you think that?" Carolina's hands were tangling themselves in the bed-sheets.

"Well, there was this one transformation a few months ago when I smelled something odd. It was blood, and it was fresh, like it had been there only a few minutes ago, though I could have sworn I hadn't seen anybody in the passage near the- well, I didn't see anyone in the passage. But it wasn't normal blood, it had this weird, sort of metallic, cold scent and it was all evil feeling. I can't really explain it, but that was one of the worst changes ever…"

"Oh my god," Lily breathed. "Did you tell Dumbledore?"

"Well, no," Remus admitted guiltily. "I-I didn't think it was that important. If I'd only realized…" He breathed deeply and grimaced into his hands. Lily got up and patted his shoulder.

"Remus, you didn't know…it wasn't your fault," she consoled quietly.

Remus shoved her arm away and stared into space. "If I had just told him then maybe English would still be alive…I should have told him…I'm so stupid…"

"Don't blame yourself," stated Peter fiercely. 

"Yeah. It wasn't your fault. Even if you had told him he couldn't have stopped it," James commented.

"If I had told him my suspicions about Metus earlier this wouldn't have happened," supplied Lily quietly.

"Look, it's no ones fault!" Sirius said loudly. "It's no one's fault," he repeated, more quietly, "except Voldemort's. So stop being so self-sacrificing and get over it."

"You have to tell me EVERYTHING that happened while I was gone! A girl can miss a lot in a couple months or whatever!"

"We beat Slytherin and Ravenclaw in Quidditch…"

"Sirius cussed off McGonagall…"

"James is in looooooooooooove…"

"Potter got an Invisibility Cloak…"

"We're becoming illegal Animagi…"

"Peter, shut up!"

"You ARE?" Carolina squealed. "THAT IS SO AMAZING!" At this joyous proclamation, several students stirred and Madame Pompfrey stuck her head out of her office. James smacked Carolina's arm and gave her a warning glance. She nodded and settled back into her pillow. She studied each of her friends carefully.

Lily was as pretty as ever and seemed stronger, more resolved somehow.

James still had the unruly hair and smirking grin that made you want to slap him.

Peter seemed even more roly-poly than usual, his flyaway blonde hair askew.

Remus was flinching quietly.

And Sirius was looking back at her. She grinned at him and he smiled back crookedly, looking deeply into her azure eyes.

"What're you doing awake? Ms. Richardson you should be resting! After what you've been through…drink this," the bustling witch ordered, thrusting a thick purple potion into Carolina's hands.

"Really Madam Pompfrey, I've been sleeping a lot so if you would just-"

**_"Drink it." _**

"Yes ma'am."

"And you," she rounded on the others. "You need to either get back into your beds or go away. Immediately." They all rushed towards the door, but before they could leave large chunks of chocolate were thrust into their hands. "Eat it all and don't come back to see me for at least a month. I'm sick of seeing the lot of you in the Hospital Wing."

Back in the boys dormitories Lily grabbed a pillow off of a bed and propped herself up against the window, gazing out onto the grounds. The boys remained standing, and Remus hovered nervously near the door. When the silence grew so unbearable that they could each hear their heart beating, Remus opened the door and slid out. Lily sighed and pushed herself up from the seat but James shook his head.

"I'll get him." He trailed Remus out of the castle, around the Whomping Willow, and up a small cliff beside the lake. When Remus had settled on the edge, legs dangling over a twenty foot drop, he spoke wearily without turning around.

"James, you can come out and sit down if you like."

"How did you-" James began, sitting next to his friend.

"The Wolf-Senses stick around for a good few days after the full-moon. Sometimes it's the sense of smell, sometimes it's the hearing, mostly it's the fleas," Remus explained gloomily, scratching furiously behind his left ear. James bit his lip. Now was not the time to laugh. "James, just go ahead and say it," Remus said wearily.

"Say what?" James asked, all innocence.

"Oh come on James. We all know you're crap at lying." James blushed a bit. "You're here to tell me that I shouldn't feel bad about English. That it's not my fault and I shouldn't think about it. Well it is and I am." James opened his mouth to reply, but Remus ploughed on. "A life James, a human life. That's what was taken, and that's what I could have saved. A fifteen year old girl will never get to laugh again, to breathe again, to eat, to sleep, to work, to cry. Because of me. The only reason I can stand that one night of terror every month because for the other days of the year, I can _live._ I can be with my fam-" Remus choked on his last work and rephrased it. "I can be with my friends. It's my fault. If I had just-"

"Exactly, Remus. _If I had just. There is an 'if I had just' for every decision anyone makes. Ever. If we had just been one minute later to get to Lily, we might have lost her. If you had just been a little luckier when you were little, we wouldn't be having this conversation. If my parents had just not met, I wouldn't be here. Remus, what's happened has happened. Move on."_

"Jesus." Remus and James whirled around to glare at a moving batch of shrubbery.

"Sirius you idiot," Peter said, slapping him in the head as they appeared from the bushes.

"You are the two oldest twelve year olds I know," Sirius commented, ignoring Peter.

"Did you hear them following us?" James questioned quietly.

"No idea," Remus replied. The four sat in amiable silence, enjoying one another's company, all lost in thought. As the sun slowly sank behind the castle, illuminating it's magnificence, Remus (always the sensible one) shook himself out of his reverie. 

"We should get going," he said quietly. The others nodded and they walked silently up to their dorm.

"You know," Sirius said after they had all changed into boxers and flopped on their beds, "we should really have a welcome back prank for Lina."

"That's what I was thinking!" cried James and Remus simultaneously.

"We never did manage to turn their (meaning the Slytherins o'course) Common Room upside down," Peter mused.

"We could make it so that all the food they eat turns to liver and anchovies when they put it in their mouth," James said, flicking through An Aide for Mad Magical Pranksters that his uncle had slipped him during Christmas.

"Give them all afros," Remus supplied. James and Sirius raised their eyebrows.

"Puffy hair-do's that stick out a mile," Peter added, snorting at the idea of Malfoy with the large 'do. They all snickered when trying to imagine Snape or the bulky Lestrange and Rosier (surly fifth years in need of attitude adjustments) with such hair.

"What if we made every single House, excepting Gryffindor obviously, fall in love with the professors?" Lily suggested lazily.

"Personally, I would love to see all the Slytherins spouting poetry every time they tried to talk," Carolina proposed. The boys whipped around to see them smirking by the open door. Lily swung it shut as they entered further. 

"Observant aren't you?" she asked, grinning. Turning serious (SIRIUS) she said, "If anyone asked my opinion-"

"Which they haven't," James muttered. Lily quelled him with a look.

"If anyone who mattered asked my opinion, I'd say that we shouldn't waste all these at once, you know? Spread them out, like."

"Yeah," said Sirius, cottoning on. "We should to the Common Room tomorrow, poetry and love potions on Valentines Day, and afros in…um…"

"March, Sirius. The next month would be March," Remus aided.

"Right, March." 

"Perfect," Lily said. "Hey Potter, can I have a look at that book?"

"No way!" he cried, clutching it tightly. "You'd be a danger to your self and others. Well, I care more about the others than the you part but…"

"Look, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way," Lily said, tapping her foot impatiently. At this James just turned around further. "Fine then. Accio Book."

The book flew to her and Lily scampered from the room, slamming the door tightly behind her, thinking briefly "Wow. All that library time paid off" before speeding down the hall and slamming the door to her room behind her, looking for somewhere to hide. James rocketed into the door seconds behind her, yelling.

"EVANS YOU'D BETTER GI VE THAT BACK OR-" but Lily never found out the consequences because she had slipped down the trap door under the window seat. Five minutes later, James was still shouting at the door.

"GIVE IT BACK!"

"Lets see," said a calm voice. "Page one. How to turn one's enemies into a vegetable…" Lily whipped out her wand and pointed it at James. "Potato Mog-" James had dodged across the hall and placed a large hand over her mouth. Lily held the book over her head obstinately. James had to step closer to retrieve it, but when he grabbed it, for some inexplicable reason, he didn't back up. 

"If I let go, will you turn me into a vegetable?" he asked quietly. Big green eyes looked up at him as Lily shook her head no. "Promise?" The emerald eyes stayed locked on his as she nodded. James let go and stepped back. Lily could feel her heart pounding out double time in her chest. She bit her lip anxiously. James, unfortunately, couldn't keep his mouth shut.  
         "You couldna done that, turned me to a vegetable. That's in the experienced section." Lily's eyes flashed. Concentrating on what McGonagall had said two days prior, she found her center, and when she felt balanced, her eyes snapped open and she performed a complex figure eight with her wand.

"Potato Mogriforous!" Her voice was barely a whisper, but suddenly, in James place was a potato. "Oh my God." She breathed, squatting down next to the potato. "James?" she asked quietly. Scooping him up, she walked briskly back into the boys dorm where Peter was dealing out a hand of poker.

"Lily, what's with the potato?" he questioned.

"Uh, guys? I kinda turned Potter into a potato."

"Ha, funny Lils. Siriusly, where is he?" Sirius asked, glancing at his cards furtively.

"Guys, it's James! I'm the potato!" a voice squeaked out from the vegetable. Lily jumped and dropped him to the floor. 

"Oh, James! I'm so sorry!" she said quietly.

"Lily, stop with the ventriloquism. Where's James?"

"I TOLD YOU! HE'S THE POTATO!" she yelled.

"Jeez. No need to get angry my dear flower," Sirius said, shoving ships into the pile. "All right potato. If you're my best friend, then what's my middle name?"

"SIRIUS RANDOLPH BLACK, IF YOU DON'T GET ME OUT OF HERE I'LL…I'LL…I'LL GET LILY TO KILL YOU!" An outraged voice squeaked. Sirius grimaced. 

"Okay Lily, how d'you change 'im back?"

"Um…" she flipped through the book, muttering, "counter curses, counter curses…Ah Ha! Counter Curses! Um…one of us has to bite the potato. But don't swallow it. Him. It. Whatever. Sirius?" Lily held out James the potato. 

"Me? Eat my bestest friend? Yeah right."

"Remus?" Lily said, turning to him.

"Make Peter do it."

"Peter?"

"Make Carolina do it."

"Lina?"

"Me? Eat James? Surely you jest." Lily sighed.

"Look, somebody's gotta do it."

"Why don't you do it? You're the one who-" Sirius choked as Lily shoved James the potato into his mouth. Spluttering furiously, spat out his best friend into his hand. suddenly, the two halves floated into the air and slammed together, whirling around and elongating. Growing a floppy mess of black hair, limbs, etcetera in fast forward (while still spinning). After a minute of this, a dizzy James stumbled and collapsed onto the nearest bed. Shoving himself up immediately, he seized the book back from Lily.

"I told you you were dangerous," he snarled gently.

"Let this be a lesson, Potter," she said sneering happily. "This lily has thorns."

A/N ITS SUMMER ITS SUMMER ITS SUMMER!!!!!!! NO MORE SCHOOL NO MORE SCHOOL NO MORE SCHOOL!!!!! THANK YOU GOD! *clears throat* Right, down to business…This might be that last chance I have to update for two weeks because I am going to Costa Rica for two weeks in four days, but will update ASAP. Reviews~ Braney- I am very very very very very sorry about that. I take full responsibility for any emotional or psychological damage. Remember, your pain is my pain. We do share a brain after all. Although I'm sure you would never do something like update the same chappie twice *whacks herself on the head repeatedly…stupid…stupid…stupid…* I LOVE The Story of James Potter! I just read it all and it ROX! You obviously have superior taste in fanfiction stories. Oh, you're still getting your cameo…don't worry about that! rj- sorry 'bout that! enelya- Wow. I'm so glad you like my story do much! You rock as a reviewer! We have lots of book choices in common. I LOVE ARTEMIS FOWL! Foaly is my total favorite, but I really love Artemis and Holly too. The end of the Third book is sad, but he's doing either seven books or nine books (can't remember which). By the time I'm one hundred, hopefully I'll have finished already, but (this is a secret but whatever) after Lily and James cease to exist I'm going to keep writing about what happens to Siri, Remie, Petey (fudging bastard), and Lina. I've got a master plan all worked out! Iza- HOW MANY TIMES CAN I SAY I'M SORRY? Sorry, it's just everyone's been saying that and I kinda snapped. *deep breath* Thanks for reviewing, though.  Shamock- THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!!I luv you! you rock! You aren't mad! Everyone else commented on it but you were nice! WOOHOO! I officially have a new best friend! Elfmoon87- coolio dude!

KEEP READIN AND KEEP REVEIWIN!


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